Bigger Bed
by koreantrash101
Summary: Caught out in the blizzard, Maka Albarn needs a place to stay the night. Who better to rescue her than a devilishly handsome stranger? Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or any of its characters. Please review! Much Love!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Little Missy

Damn the cold. Damn the winter. Damn this body for lacking the ability to preserve heat. Gosh freakin' darn it, was it cold. Maka huffed air through her mittens in a futile attempt to warm herself as she walked down a deserted sidewalk in search for shelter. Having bought a small studio apartment on the other side of town from her work place was poor judgment on her part.

Somehow, she had forgotten some files that she needed to get finished at the office, so naturally, the almighty hard working Maka Alburn just had to go finish them despite the horrid weather. The trains had been working then; cars and such still slowly roaming about albeit a few. Now, however, because of the blizzard, all means of transportation had shut down, leaving Maka basically stranded. The freakin' blizzard had ended up being ten times worse than the unreliable weather man had predicted. The snow, hail, frozen rain, the wind ... it was relentless! It was currently 10 below 0 and the cold had somehow managed to affect not only cars and buses, but also the subway. The underground trains ... trains that ran under the ground. Why in the world would the weather conditions affect those?! Unbelievable.

Most shops had understandably closed due to the weather as well. Which left poor Maka Alburn to quiver along as she attempted to brave the abuse of the harsh winds and snow needling her face. Her cheeks and nose were red and wet, her nostrils dripped with snot, and her eyes watered. She just HAD to move to the Big Freakin' Apple. Hell on Earth more like it. She should sue for false advertisement.

Maka dared a brief glance up in hopes of seeing any shops were magically open or to perhaps find a kind stranger willing to let her stay the night. But alas, not a soul in sight. She quickly focused her eyes back down as she felt the sting of ice that slapped her gentle skin. Shivering uncontrollably, she ducked into an alleyway, seeking even the slightest of refuge from the cruel, unyielding nips of Jack Frost. She leaned her back up against the brick wall and immediately collapsed to the snow covered cement ground in a heap. She was getting tired and somehow was feeling more and more immune to the cold. Her reasoning had been compromised. Maybe if she just took a short nap, she'd be blessed with the strength to make it home somehow.

Another beautiful day in the life of a lonely Soul. He was one who loved storms - especially horrid ones such as this - that would allow him to isolate himself from the unwelcome and complicated responsibilities he was expected to uphold. Socializing. Bleh. In other words, he always appreciated a good blizzard when it kept the unwanted away.

He was alone in his apartment with a scalding hot mug of black coffee, watching the abandoned streets below from his ceiling to floor bedroom window. The sound of slow jazz drifted through the air; white flurries danced with a temperamental breeze just outside the glass. Just as Soul was about to get more coffee, a small figure caught his eye. It appeared to be a child slowly fighting against the wind. She looked so fragile. Her hair getting bullied by the harsh weather as it whipped around her, her face abused by the brisk, icy snow.

"She must be mad. Who goes out in this kind of weather?" he muttered to himself, his eyebrows meeting in confusion and worry. Curious, he continued to watch her as she entered an alley and almost instantly fell to the ground.

'What is she doing?!' Soul couldn't believe his eyes. The poor girl was going to die if she didn't get a move on. After a few minutes of seeing no movement, Soul sped to put on warm clothing and went to fetch the child.

As he exited his building, he realized he had underestimated the blizzard. It was much colder than he thought it would be, but he ran to the small form across the street nonetheless. 'Damn the fucking cold.' Soul shivered slightly. Once he had gotten to her, he first checked for a pulse. Luckily, he found one, though faint. He took no time in scooping her up and quickly running back into his building. He took the elevator up to his floor and proceeded to tend to the nearly frozen stranger. After making his way to his bathroom and setting her down, he noticed that she wasn't a child. In fact, she was quite tall and slender, her chest and hips giving her away. Perhaps a teenager? Shaking his head to rid himself of such untimely thoughts, he reached to turn the heater on higher.

With only her well-being in mind, he began to strip her down to merely her underwear. He then picked her up once again and carried her to the shower to put her under some cold water. Ever so slowly, he turned the heat up, little by little, stopping at room temperature for awhile. She was breathing well enough, though her body continued to quake, stirring a few times. Soul leaned down and felt her forehead, her neck, her arms, hands, and so on and so forth.

'Good,' he relaxed a little. 'she's beginning to warm up a bit.'

After about an hour and a half of thawing the young girl, Soul had dried her with a towel, reluctantly stripped her of her undergarments with his eyes as averted as possible, and dressed her in some very warm, very over-sized clothing. He carried her to his California King sized bed, covering them both in his warmest blankets, and practically enveloped her with his body to keep her warm. He set an alarm on his phone and was, surprisingly, soon asleep, spooning a stranger under his covers.

Smooth jazz drifted through the air as warmth caressed her. What smelled like freshly brewed coffee wafted her senses and made her taste buds jump in delight. Was she dead? Was she dreaming? Maka slowly opened her eyes, being met with the sickly city night, drowning in ice and wind through an extremely large window. She lay back down after attempting to move, her muscles too sore to cooperate.

"Oh, good. You're finally awake." a rich, gruff voice startled her. She shot up against her body's wishes, eyes scanning the room for the intruder. She immediately regretted it, however, when the room began to spin. Vertigo ... figures. She grabbed her head, slamming her eyes shut, and slowly lowered herself back down.

"Woah, now. Take it easy." Came the stranger. Maka felt the bed move to the left of her and turned her head to see a handsome young man with unruly white hair and striking ruby eyes. His eyebrows met with worry. "You can't just bounce back from a near death experience, little missy," he mumbled as he reached out to feel her forehead. Resisting the urge to shy away from the stranger, she let his long fingers brush her bangs out of her eyes and land his large palm on her skin.

'He's warm.' Maka thought longingly as she began to snuggle his hand. She then heard a deep, guttural chuckle grace her buzzing ears.

"You seem to be doing better." he laughed. "That's good."

Maka dared to look back up at the kind man as his hand slowly retracted from her sweat covered head, taking in all that she could make of him. He was a very attractive specimen. A low golden light of a lamp emanated from behind him, making him seem almost angelic as shadows danced upon gorgeously sculpted skin. The dark red wall behind his person enhanced his hair and eye colour, seeming to glow as he watched her carefully. His messy, rich silver hair pointing in every direction in the most *ahem* seductive of ways; bangs held back by a small black headband. His smile was almost vicious, with his razor sharp teeth, but warm and inviting at the same time. He was captivating. She couldn't see his full length, as his legs were leisurely tossed over the far end of the bed. She could tell that he was very tall, though, from the way his body seemed to bridge across the sheets to her. He wore a sleek black jacket with a calm grey t-shirt underneath and what looked to be dark blue jeans and a small dog chain necklace. Simple and relaxed, yet suave.

His eyes seemed to scan over her, concern lighting up his fierce gaze. She hadn't realized she was shivering until she felt the friction between his hand and her shoulder.

"Are you still cold?" he asked, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Want something nice and hot to eat?" He stood up at that. He was much taller than she had originally thought him to be, his legs easily carrying him to a steaming mug across the room. He turned to her as she watched him take a sip, seemingly trying to entice her to take him up on his offer. They kept eye contact for awhile until it occurred to her that she had yet to give him an answer.

"Ahh ..." She croaked out. Her throat hurt like the dickens. She reached a hand up to rub her neck for a moment in embarrassment. The tall stranger quickly left the room only to return with a large mug full of scalding hot water and a few packets of tea.

"These are the only teas I have right now, unfortunately. I hope that they are to your taste." Soul sat the mug and tea packets down on the night stand, placing himself down on the bed next to her. "It's best to warm up your throat first." He stated as he watched her expectantly. Maka looked to the teas, noting that they were all expensive brands, and chose the green tea. Soul asked her if she'd like some honey in it, to which he received a slow nod. He mixed in the honey and let steep the bag for a few moments, leaving them to sit awkwardly until it had finished. He helped her drink her tea and took everything out to what she assumed to be the kitchen before returning to her side once more with another steaming mug in hand for her.

Everything seemed uncomfortably forced, gauche and hesitant, though that was to be expected when being taken care of by a complete stranger. Speaking of which, who was this man? How did she end up here? Why was she in so much pain? Why was he taking care of her? What had happened to land her in this plush California king sized bed in this spacious room? She wasn't complaining, really. Merely curious.

Maka took this time to observe the room as the handsome stranger went about making her more of the same tea. They both sat on the right side of the bed, which was covered with thick red, black, and crème coloured blankets and pillows of the most comfortable material. The upper part of the walls were a dark red with a thin dark wooden panel lining a third of the way down from the ceiling to be met with a calming crème colour. All of the side tables were made of the same wood as the strip and held only lamps and an alarm clock, the wooden floor partially covered by crème coloured carpets. There was a large TV on the wall in front of the bed with speakers on either side. To her right was a large ceiling to floor window overlooking the city. An awkward door sat to the left of the window alongside the large flat screen. To her left lay two other doors, one also next to the TV which Soul had come and gone through several times (Maka guessed it led to the rest of the house) and the other door a mystery. Low gleaming lamps lit the room along with a small 'fireplace' under the television, giving it a warm feeling, but the lack of personal and familial treasures made it feel slightly empty.

The man cleared his throat to get her attention, making her snap her head to look at him. He handed her the steaming mug, which she took gingerly.

He watched her as she sipped the hot liquid and sighed in sweet satisfaction as it soothed her sore throat. He had been observing her as she summed up her surroundings. He got the feeling she was as confused and uncomfortable in the current situation as he was. He had never been one to bring strangers into his home, but he wasn't heartless. She was extremely fortunate that he had seen her and was kind enough to extend his help. He was secretly proud of himself for his heroic acts today. He'd have to pat himself on the back later.

"So…" He began. "Do you remember anything that happened? How you ended up here?" he inquired. At first, she began to voice her response, but quickly was reminded of her aching gullet. She shook her head slightly back-and-forth in the negative, she couldn't remember what had happened to her after ducking into the alleyway.

"Would you like to know?" he asked, to which Maka nodded emphatically.

"Well," he cleared his throat. " ... I saw you collapse in the alleyway and brought you here." He answered simply. "You're lucky, little missy, if I hadn't seen you, you'd be dead." Maka was about to protest her new found nickname until 'you'd be dead' rang through the air. Her eyes widened and her fists clenched the sheets.

"Wh... what?" It came out quiet and soft, barely audible. He glanced over at her.

"So, she speaks..." He smirked at her, his explanation not registering until he saw the look on her face. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she begged her body to suppress them. She bit her lip and forced her eyes downward. This was all too much for her to take. He watched her fight the tears briefly before casting his gaze elsewhere.

"... but you're alive." He stated firmly, forcing Maka out of her inner battle. She slowly looked back up at the man who had saved her life. He was leaning back on his arms; legs splayed out off the bed as he looked out the window. Sighing, he redirected his pools to her face once more.

"You're still here. You're alive, you're breathing, and you're warm, and... I will take care of you..." Tears began to pour down the young girl's face as she heard his words. She hadn't cried in a long time, but something about a near death experience and a stranger saying he'd protect her had opened the floodgates. The tears continued for longer than Soul felt comfortable with, but still, he draped a long arm around her in an attempt to comfort.

"Thank you..." She whispered. "I owe you my life."

"You do." came his curt reply. He rubbed up and down her back for a moment before pulling away. "Soul." He stated as his lava met her moss.

"Wh...what?" Her eyebrows collided in pure confusion, her eyes widening with mild anxiety as she proceeded to jump to conclusions. Was he one of those weapons that the government refused to acknowledge? Did he want to eat her soul?! That would explain his more than odd appearance.

"My name." He smirked, seeing the worry flash across her features. "Sullivan." He extended a large hand as he introduced himself. "But I prefer Soul." Realization set in her face followed by relief. She looked and accepted his hand, finding it funny. Why, he had just been cradling her as she wept in his arms not moments prior and they were only exchanging names now. An awkward handshake later, he cleared his throat once more, catching her attention.

"May I inquire as to your name, little missy?" Maka had to confess, she wasn't too fond of the pet name, but seeing as she owed this man her life, she'd let it slide... for now.

"Ahhh..." She tested her throat. It was still quite sore, but she found it easier to use her voice. "M... Maka. Maka Alburn." She answered slowly, a blush worming its way across her skin at the sound of her own voice cracking.

"That's a nice name ya got there, Maka." He smirked at her, not missing the rosy pink gracing her features. "How old are you, anyway? Why were you all alone out in that hideous storm?" he asked.

Maka rolled her eyes. He surely thought she was a teenager at best.

"I'm 24 and I live on the other side of town." Soul was taken aback by her change in behavior. Though her voice still held similarities to a scratched record, she had become indignant.

He grinned at her lightheartedly, amusement spreading across his face. Imagine that. Little one had an attitude. "... feisty." He playfully teased.

Soul began to zoom in on her face and body. He could see it now, the maturity hidden in her youthful demeanor. Actually, now that he was really looking at her, he found he rather liked her appearance. She was low-key gorgeous. She was small and petite, but had legs that traveled for what seemed like light years. Her face made her look childish, especially with her cheeks puffed out as they were. He attempted and failed at stifling a chuckle, only seeming to edge her on.

She had long, naturally wavy golden locks that reached just above her hips. He knew she had some curves hidden under the enormous clothing she wore, not that he had checked her out, mind you. Gentleman don't do that, but he was aware of what she was packing. He looked to her face again, appreciating her feminine features as best he could pass the pout. Her lips were plump but delicately so, her button nose and cheeks adorned constellations of freckles, and then there were her eyes. These things sparked with the life of green fire. It was like nothing he had seen. She could very possibly be a model.

"I'm serious!" She croaked out. "I'm 24!"

He laughed. "I'll believe it when I see I.D." He joked, flashing sparkling white shark like teeth her way. "But you have yet to tell me exactly why you were out there in the first place." He settled himself back into his relaxed state, a bit closer to her than previously, as he awaited her answer.

"What? Oh, um..." Maka was somewhat surprised at his close proximity when she looked up from her sulking. He was leaning back on his hands again, which were on the other side of her, caging her in somewhat awkwardly as he looked at her.

She mulled over how to answer. Soul would more than likely think ill of her reason, but for lack of a better excuse, she resolved to tell him the truth. "I had some work to finish at the office a-and by the time I had finished, it... um, the train that is, had been shut down."

Soul scrunched his eyebrows together. "You mean to tell me, you risked your life... to finish a couple of dumb files?"

"My job is currently on the line... so, I wanted to do all I could to not lose it." Maka turned with a grimace.

"And instead you chose to gamble with your life?" Soul's brows shot up in surprise, once again expressing himself on his face. "Couldn't you just stay at the company if you had known that the weather was worsening?"

"Oh, no. It wasn't so terrible when I left work, but by the time I had walked three or four blocks, it had become unbearable. The doors to the building were locked right after I left, so there was no way to get back in, believe me, I tried." She reassured him. She had indeed attempted to reenter her work place, but no one had been there to let her in.

"Where the hell do you work, itty-bitty?" He asked, astonished.

Maka sighed. What was with all of the 'small' nicknames? She could admit that they were cute, but she didn't want to be 'cute' or 'small'. It was somewhat dejecting. "I work at E.C." She responded.

Soul grinned with pure delight as the words left her mouth. "Mind to elaborate?" he asked, amusement radiating off of him in waves.

Maka gave him a strange look before replying, "Eater Corporation."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:** Something to Eat

"Eater Corporation."

Maka was then scared out of her skin when Soul allowed a deep, hearty laugh to escape the depths of his gut. She could only blink back in surprise as he laid back on the bed with his arms wrapped around his middle. She decided she liked his laugh. It suited him. It was deep and soothing; a laugh that reminded her of summer days that wrap you in warmth, a comforting breeze passing through to play and tease, intertwined with the scent of woods and incoming rain. It was a laugh that made one feel as though they were being hugged tenderly, lovingly. A rosy heat blossomed across her cheeks as she shook her head of the thought. While attempting to reel herself in from growing attached to Soul in any way, shape, or form, she realized that he had fallen back upon her legs. Squirming, she managed to pull her appendages out from under him and insert them under herself, her blush reddening a bit.

"Wh-what's so funny?!" She leaned forward on her knees, clutching the sheets as her face began to heat up fiercely at the sight of his gaze shifting to land upon her momentarily. Great. Pink lemonade she could handle, but tomato was not a good colour on her.

Soul's laughter died down and he took a few full breaths. Oh, the irony. Who would have predicted this moment? To think that he had saved one of his own employees. He glanced over at her, embarrassment and a smudge of annoyance clearly set into her features. He was enjoying this woman's company, which was rare for him. Usually women would throw themselves at him without even attempting to get to _know_ him. How repugnant. She would surely act differently if he told her he owned the company at which she worked. Luckily for him, he was smart enough to give her only his first name and tended to stay far from the eyes of the media. Very few knew what he looked like. He didn't want her to find out that he was her boss in fear of her treating him differently, so he just wouldn't tell her. Simple.

"Oh, nothing, just the face you made." He threw a smirk her way as he held back the chuckle tickling it's way up his throat. She was so comically red. He could almost see the big anger iconography on her head. It was precious. "Why would your job be on the line?" He inquired, desperately trying to divert her attention. Her eyes turned into slits as she glared at him. That was such an obvious change of subject and she was curious as to what he was hiding, but she decided to take the bait … for the time being.

"My advisor doesn't like me very much." She confessed, distaste evident as she recalled her department's head of management.

"And why's that?"

Her face became thoughtful as she pondered over her reply. "Well," she began. "he likes things done his way, which I can understand, but to be completely honest, his way isn't as ... efficient as it could be."

Soul couldn't help the small, understanding smile that formed over his face. He could sympathize with Maka as he thought back to a time when he used to work for his father's company. Let's just say that they weren't always fond memories that he pulled from the file cabinets in his brain. It had been brutal.

"Give me a for instance?" Soul seemed to be genuinely interested, so she vented. It wasn't every day that she came across such a willing participant to listen to her about such things. Maka told him everything this guy had done to not only her, but all of the other employees that worked under him. He was a slave driver and a bigot, a damn bully who thought he wouldn't have to face the repercussions of his actions. It was extraordinarily antagonizing; taxing on her emotionally.

Soul clenched his jaw as Maka told him the story of her very first day at work, revolted by the actions of one of his employees. How this man had gotten away with any this was beyond him.

"He gave me a stack of about 50 files, all untouched and without instructions, and told me to finish them by the end of the day! Of course, I didn't want to start an argument, but that was just ridiculous. I mean, I hadn't a clue of how they were to be handled, he didn't explain anything to me or offer assistance if I had a question. I honestly think he was trying to get me fired on my first day. And when I spoke out about it, he basically persecuted me in front of the entire office. Saying that I wasn't experienced enough for the job and that I should just leave!" She continued to rant, not noticing how upset Soul was getting. "So, naturally, I took all 50 freakin' files and finished all of them an hour before he had originally demanded them. I did ask for some help from some coworkers when I didn't understand what exactly I needed to do, but they all came out well enough." She huffed.

Soul chuckled at the thought. One of his own workers had finished 50 ... wait. "Hold on, you finished _50_ files on your first day without much help as to how to do so? And did it correctly?" he asked, remembering an incident that occurred a few months back.

Maka nodded smugly as she crossed her arms over her chest in triumph. "That I did! Made that stupid Ford look like an idiot, too. That's probably the reason he hates me so much." She said solemnly.

"That sounds rough." He empathized. "How long have you been working there?" he asked.

"About ... 4 and a half months." She answered, placing a single digit to her chin.

"And he bullies everyone?"

"He does, but... at least we get stuff done. I just wish he was a lot more understanding and encouraging in the workplace."

'Ford, huh?' Soul thought. He knew him. Diligent and hardworking, but definitely not delicate when it came to being in charge. Soul didn't want to fire him, but frequent monitoring or a demotion would hopefully fix his attitude toward other workers. Soul simply nodded in understanding, letting out a sigh. They sat for a moment before he looked back up at her, smoldering maroon catching her attention. She knew just by how captivating his eyes were that staring at each other in silence would be a reoccurring event for the two of them, though she was unsure of why he stared back at her so intensely.

"Pardon me for a moment." He spoke, bringing an abrupt end to the quiet. "I must tend to some business." He wiggled his eyebrows before he moved, insinuating delicately to her that he needed to use the restroom. He stood and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Somehow, the sudden silence brought to her attention that the awkwardness between them had slowly dispersed. Maka sat for a moment, smiling at how oddly comfortable and almost natural it had become before her gut began to grumble and complain, twisting in an uncomfortable manner. She hadn't realized just how utterly empty her stomach was until now. She swallowed hard as to appease the uncomfortable knot churning her innards.

Maka sat still, not able to hear Soul moving around. She wondered briefly if his offer for food still stood. Nausea began to overtake her as she curled up under the covers and began to take slow, deep breaths. Her arms wrapped around her middle. She heard the door open, but didn't make to move.

"Hey, sorry about tha- ... are you okay?!" Soul asked as he rushed to her side. His right hand found the small of her back as he leaned over her form to analyze her symptoms. Her face was scrunched in pain and he could see the colour of her skin had begun to drain.

" _Nnmmmmm_ " came her strained reply before her stomach rumbled.

An awkward silence fell between them and Soul found himself trying to fight down a laugh once again, only failing slightly. This girl was unbelievable. He enjoyed her reactions at his teasing and she always seemed to process her words well. Literate, intelligent, but also fun and full of life with a fiery spirit.

"Hungry are we?" he asked light heartedly, reaching into his bedside drawer for a cinnamon mint.

She glared at him, her nose twitching in what seemed like an attempted snarl. She watched him unwrap the mint and put it to her lips.

"Sugar, to keep you from getting dizzy." He explained. She pouted for a moment more before opening her mouth begrudgingly as her cheeks seemed to gain some colour.

Soul's right brow rose in amusement, a smirk playing at his lips. "Well, then, come on." He peeled back the covers, triggering a shiver to erupt through her body. He swooped down and stood with Maka in his arms. He was much more muscular than he appeared to be, she noted. He had solid muscles that seemed to work effortlessly as he carried her. He had picked her up like it was nothing.

She continued to quiver slightly in his arms, however. Even after all of the cuddling and hot liquid, she was cold. She seemed to melt into him once contact was made because, man was he hot. His body heat, get your mind out of the gutter.

"... mmm warm..." She thought aloud.

"Am I?" Maka heard a deep rumble in the chest she clung to.

"Are you what?" she asked, not realizing her slip of the tongue.

"Warm." He chuckled out as he began to move for the door, carrying her bridal style.

"Ah, ye-... wah! W-what?" she squeaked as she pulled her head back from his chest to look at him with eyes wide. "Are you a mind reader?!"

Soul miraculously managed to keep from dropping her as he began to laugh once again. This girl was absolutely hysterical. He was barely able to make it to the couch and lay her down before he all but fell to the floor in a fit of laughter.

There Maka sat on the plush cushions, red as a beet while she watched the handsome man roll around on the floor.

"She said... Mind reader!" he snickered between fits. "Oh, my goodness..." He took a few breaths, finally calming himself. "This is the most I've genuinely laughed in a long time." He laid down on his back, head resting on his left arm as his right splayed across his stomach. To most, Maka's spoonerism wouldn't have been so funny, the tone she had carried as she said it; the look of horror painting her face as she had looked up at him had been something he couldn't help but laugh at. It was a small, simple moment in which one had to experience first hand to understand; to find funny. A day and a half into saving her life and they already shared times that only the two of them could look back on and laugh at. It was unexpected, but pleasantly so.

"So," he began, turning to her with a handsome smile. "what suits your fancy? I can cook pretty much anything."

Maka looked down at him, the embarrassment still coloured across her nose and cheeks. "Oh, so now you're bragging." she spoke. "Being able to cook isn't something you should boast so easily about." It was a joke and, luckily, he took it as such, chuckling at her comment.

"It is in this day and age. It's ridiculous how many people can't cook." He was smirking up at her, a teasing glint in his eye. "But if you don't want me to cook anything for you..-"

"No! Uh... I mean, I would very much appreciate it." She was blushing still, not being able to look at his enchanting orbs and smug face.

"Alright. What does the princess request?"

"Anything that will heat me up is fine."

"Good." He hopped up and led the way to the kitchen. Maka hissed slightly at the cold that snuck through her socks when her feet met the wood floor and shuffled after him. She stopped in her tracks, however, when she was met with his kitchen. It was huge! The cabinets were made from what looked like red mahogany, the floors were a dark authentic stone, and all the appliances were steel with black handles. There was a very large island in the middle with tall stools on the other side; the countertops made of black and brownish marble. The edison lights hung from the ceiling with a bright orange hue, giving the room a smooth feel.

She whipped around to take a second look at the massive living room, realization setting in as she took in the vast apartment. There were two long, tan L shaped couches with a loveseat to match. There was a plethora of black and red blankets and pillows scattered around the room. The red wood floors resembled the kitchen cabinets and were partially covered by a beautiful red, black, and tan rug. A sizeable coffee table in the middle of the rug was also red wood with a sleek black marble top. The lighting was brighter, but still homey and the lights were in the ceiling, a few reading lamps scattered about on side tables. Finally, there was a wall length mirror in the place of a window on the adjacent wall from her, making the room look twice as big. She was pulled out of her evaluation of the apartment by the gruff voice behind her.

"Something wrong?" She turned to him.

"No, just... curious about what it is that you do exactly. This apartment is quite large." She answered.

Soul glanced at her from the fridge. "Well, ... If you must know, I uh..." He didn't want to tell her, but he didn't want to lie either. So he wouldn't. "I'm from an exceedingly rich family." He answered, shoving his head back into the fridge. He hadn't lied or let the cat of the bag. Round of applause, please.

Sensing that he wasn't particularly eager to carry on a conversation about his work (or family matters), she decided to ask more about his living arrangements. "Is this all of it?"

"The apartment? No." He stated simply. "This is just a portion of this floor."

"You have multiple floors?" she asked excitedly, eyes widening in amazement.

"Yeah. We're on the second floor right now." Soul finally pulled away from the fridge with an arm full of ingredients. Laying them down on the cutting board before turning to pull a few things out of a cupboard.

"How many?"

"Four. Five including the roof." His back was turned to her as he eyed several seasonings. A small blush had forced its way upon his features that he wasn't too keen on letting her become aware of. "I can take you for a tour later if you'd like?"

"Yes! Absolutely! I can't imagine, four floors, wow..." She was apparently daydreaming when he looked back at her. He grinned at the look on her face. He was beginning to find her more and more adorable as he observed her many reactions.

"Any food allergies I should know about?" He watched her as she seemed to snap out of her daze and quickly look him in the eye once more, catching a slight shiver rake through her body. She was still cold, but unbeknownst to him, that's not what brought about the quiver.

"Oh, no. No allergies. Just ... preferences." She answered.

"Well, too bad, little missy. An allergy is the only excuse for not eating food in my book." He told her, playfully, though truthfully.

"You won't hear a single complaint." She assured him.

"Don't think I'm cooking alone, now. Get your butt over here and help peel these veggies." He jokingly demanded, making Maka giggle for the first time. His eyes widened as a smile graced her face. He decided he liked her smile. It made him feel things. Innocent things, of course. He's not an animal.

"I like your clothes, by the way." He leaned back against the counter, preparing himself for her reaction as she scrunched her eyebrows together. She looked down at her attire for the first time since she had awoken. Eyes widening in horror, her head shot up, moss dripping with confusion.

"When did you...?" she pointed to herself and then looked back down. She was wearing a much too big for her purple hoodie with black sweatpants and gargantuan socks. She grabbed the neck of the hoodie and peered down to examine herself. She had a large t-shirt on under the warm hoodie, but was obviously not wearing underwear.

"What, what, _what_?" She spun around like a puppy chasing its tail, hair flipping around her. "Where are my clothes?" She asked. "Why am I wearing your oversized clothes, you giant?"

Soul couldn't help but let out a loud laugh at the sight of her. She was so confused and lost. Her face contorted, obviously mortified. "Did you-uh ... did you change my clothes?" she asked hesitantly.

"I did."

"You saw me naked?"

" ... yes."

"E-every ... everything?" She gulped. What an awkward predicament. It wasn't as if she could be mad at him, she knew she'd be dead if it wasn't for him, but it was still exceedingly humiliating. The only man that had ever really seen her naked was her papa, and that was when she was still in the single digits of her existence.

Her face was bright red, cheeks puffed out nearing the point of explosion. Soul inwardly chuckled at her fidgeting, not wanting to embarrass her further. He made a mental note of how often she turned red.

"Honestly?" He asked her. She responded with a hesitant nod as she clutched at the purple material. Somehow, she felt it was doing very little to hide her body from Soul's piercing eyes, when in fact, that's all it did. His clothing made her look like a small child wearing their father's clothes. It was freakin' adorable.

"No." He answered truthfully. "I didn't see everything. I was concerned for your life, not your cup size."

Sighing with relief, she nodded in understanding, though remained flushed. "Where ... are my clothes?"

"Calm down, half pint. They're in the-" His answer was cut short as Soul began to move towards her in an attempt to calm her, but for every step he took forward she took one back.

"Where are my clothes, Soul?" Danger alert. He did _not_ like that tone, it seemed to drip with venomous intent. Not safe.

"They're currently in the washer." He answered as he stepped back to lean against the counter once more, arms crossed over his chest. This wasn't as fun of a reaction as he had hoped. "I stripped you to save your life, remember." His persona altered from his previous lighthearted self, grimacing with annoyance. He could understand her concern, but the look in her eyes indicated that she was questioning his gallant character, which he would not stand for.

"If I wanted to do something to you..." lava met moss pointedly, "I would have done it already."

Maka's eyes widened at the change in his demeanor and realization set in her features.

"Oh,... no!" She exclaimed. "I just... I wasn't..." Soul took in a slow, deep breath, releasing it quickly in a sigh.

"Forget it." He then grabbed a knife and began to clean and chop vegetables. "Soup and salad alright with you?"

"Huh? Oh, ... yeah. That sounds wonderful. Thank you." She answered. He had apparently missed the ease that had set in her body when he had informed her of the whereabouts of her belongings.

Soul glanced over at her to find Maka's face had become sour with displeasure. A twinge of guilt slowly consumed him until he couldn't take the uncomfortable quiet anymore.

"You gonna help me with this food or let me do all the work?" He tried to joke, receiving a half-hearted smile and a nod before she set to washing vegetables.

They attempted to carry on conversation as they prepared their dinner, but found it difficult and stagnant compared to before.

After silently agreeing to finish making their meal in quiet, Soul lead Maka to the dining room, grabbing a bottle of red wine as they left the kitchen. They were gonna need it.

The dining room was also very extravagant. It had créme coloured walls with the same red wooden floors. A long mahogany table with fourteen matching chairs. What seemed to be a bar was placed against the right wall. A huge, dimly lit chandelier hung down in the middle of the room, filling it with a warm glow.

"Wow..." Maka muttered. "This is beautiful, Soul." She had never seen a dining room as exquisite.

"Thank you." He said as he lead them to the table. She followed Soul as he placed the wine and glasses down as well as the salad.

"I'll go get the soup." He muttered. Maka watched him leave and sat down, setting the bread basket on the flawless mahogany surface. The lump of anxiety had been growing slowly since their small spat, if you could even call it that. She wasn't sure what to call it. She was more than understanding about the fact that he had undressed and seen her naked. Any woman would feel embarrassed in that situation, but she supposed it was her reaction to the whole thing that started the tense aura that now loomed over the pair.

Soul returned with the soup and the needed utensils and dishware. They ate in silence, which Maka usually would have appreciated, but in that moment, it almost seemed deafening. She missed him laughing and teasing her a little - okay, maybe more than a little - and it was all foreign to her, enjoying being teased and becoming friendly so quickly. It was odd.

After eating and attempting awkward small talk, they cleaned their dishes and put away the leftovers. Neither of them were at ease, every movement felt uncomfortable and words came out forced as they had in the beginning. Soul scrunched his face in distaste. The wine had failed them. Half a bottle later and what did it have to show for itself.

Nothing.

"Here's an extra toothbrush and there's towels in there if you'd like to take another shower. I didn't wash your hair so..." He shrugged. "Your clothes should be dry soon, but you can sleep in that for tonight. With as many guest rooms as I have, none of them have beds in them as of yet, so you can sleep on my bed ... I can take the couch." He seemed a bit on edge. Was he still upset with her for asking about the whereabouts of her clothes? Shouldn't she be curious? It wasn't like she had accused him of rape or anything. He had saved her life, for goodness sake. Of course she trusted him. She blushed slightly at the realization. _She trusted him._ She never truly trusted anyone.

"Thank you. I'd like to take a shower..." He nodded and left, closing the door behind him. After washing herself and reclaiming her borrowed clothes she walked out of the master bath into Soul's bedroom. He had an insanely big bed that she found the need to jump on. Soul wasn't in sight, but she could see a door on the far left slightly ajar, light shining through. The door opened and he stepped out.

"Walk in closet?" she asked.

"Yup. I'm gonna take a shower." Soul brushed past her to the bathroom coldly and locked the door behind him, leaving the air to prickle her. 'He must still be upset.' she thought. Maka sighed and sat on his bed to await his return. Looking out the window did nothing to put her at ease. The storm still raged on, stronger than it had before, as proof that she wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Maka began to nibble at her bottom lip in contemplation. Should she apologize? She felt badly for reacting in a way that troubled him, but she also felt slightly wronged. He shouldn't hold it against her for being a little paranoid, having woken up in a stranger's home - feeling like complete and utter crap - and finding out that she had been stripped in her sleep is alarming. But he did it to save her life. She would be dead right now if it weren't for him. Maka steeled her resolve as she set her sights back on the bathroom door. It was uncomfortable, yes, but she had to fix it because, for some reason or another, she felt that Soul might not.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, everyone! So sorry for the wait! I just want to take a minute to thank all of you for reading, reviewing, favouriting, and following. I was really nervous, as this is my very first story I have had the courage to upload, so I am ever so thankful for your support.

So, without further ado, here's chapter three!

I do NOT own Soul Eater or any of its characters.

Enjoy!

Much Love,

K.T.

* * *

 **Chapter Three:** Sleep Next to Me

Soul couldn't help but think that he had to put up a wall between Maka and himself after the way she had looked at him. He always prided himself in being a gentleman, so when he felt that it was questioned or threatened, he would become somewhat reserved without meaning to. In this case, however, he was feeling guilty. It was understandable that she would want to keep her distance in this kind of situation. A delicate young woman, alone with a rather large and somewhat terrifying looking man who had stripped her in her sleep, basically trapped in his apartment ... yeah. He could understand. He had to give her space.

He stood under the steaming water, trying to settle his nerves. She hadn't really been concerned about him undressing her, she knew it was to help save her life. He knew that that was how she felt, yet she had looked at him as if he had done something; as if he were an entangled mess or perverted thoughts and unwelcome caresses, and in that moment it stung. He wasn't sure what it was that he was feeling, the ache swelling in his chest. He was unaccustomed to it. Was this some form of anxiety? Perhaps a blow to his pride? Whatever it was, it was getting to him. Usually, he'd pay no mind to what other people felt about him and wouldn't feel anything for them in return, but Maka was different somehow. Maybe it was because he had saved her life, but ... then why did he feel indebted to her?

He grimaced at the thought. Damn this ambiguous inner conflict. This was exactly why he preferred to be alone. Interacting with others always became complicated and frustrating and he never knew how to act when it personally mattered.

Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, Soul finished getting ready for bed after taking his shower, drying off and brushing his teeth. He dressed himself and exited the bathroom with a cloud of steam surrounding him to be met with Maka sitting on his bed, patiently waiting for him.

"Oh, uh ... I thought you'd be asle-... " He was cut off when Maka stood up abruptly, sternly.

"Did I do something?" she asked, concern swarming her orbs.

"Uh ... what?"

"I know we don't know each other very well at all, but ... you seemed to have changed when I asked about my clothes," she stated.

" ... " Soul opened his mouth only to close it again. He hadn't realized he had made her upset. Well, at least not by giving her what she wanted, no, what he _assumed_ she had wanted. He thought that he was doing it for her, giving her space, but he might have just been acting cowardly. How embarrassing.

"I just feel that I should make myself clear, so that there isn't a misunderstanding." She took a steadying breath and continued. "There's a locket in the pocket of my jeans." She stated, trying to make him understand. "It belonged to my late mother..." Maka looked to Soul who was staring at her intently. Her eyes shot to the ground, her hands clutching the front of the hoodie. Why was he looking at her like that? She was caught off guard when she heard a chuckle. Was he laughing at her? Did he see this as comical?

"I see." _Sweet relief_. A simple explanation from her and the unknown weight in his chest had vanished. Soul smiled as his eyes were cast to the floor. Pushing a hand up to his tired face and through his damp hair, his features contorted as he thought back over the night. He had been such an ass. " ... I apologize for my atrocious behaviour this evening. I thought you had questioned my character." Her head shot back up to look at him, her towel falling, letting her long hair scatter around her.

"Absolutely not!" she let out loudly, surprising both of them. "I ... I mean ... " What was this nonsense? She was usually confident when she spoke, yet this man had somehow liquefied her cemented poise. Words were her thing. He had corrupted _her thing!_ She slowly closed the distance between them, earning a curious look of sparking scarlet. She halted a single step in front of him and lifted her right hand to his chest, eyes downcast.

"You saved my life ... I would never," she spoke softly. Soul relaxed under her touch, relishing in the feel of her delicate and chilly hand over his shirt. He suddenly and subconsciously pulled her into an abrupt embrace, forcing from her squeak of surprise.

"S-Soul?" came her muffled inquire. He was a very large person. She could nearly disappear into his hold. Her head only came up to his chest, but it was comfortable and warm and she welcomed it. When there was no response, she wrapped her arms around his back as she sighed into him. He held her for a moment more before pulling away quickly in realization, leaving Maka feeling a tad too chilly for her liking. It was strange how normal it felt - to be held by him.

Now that had definitely made him feel things ... perhaps a tad bit less than innocent this time. He forced himself to hold back the urge to pull her into another hug, though it almost felt wrong not to. He didn't want her looking at him like she had in the kitchen earlier, however; so he took in a deep breath, holding it and then allowing the air to escape in hope that his desire to wrap his arms around her again would vanish along with it.

It didn't.

"I'm sorry," he said, patting her head. "Goodnight." He ruffled her damp locks as he turned to leave the room, glancing back at her as he reached the door. She hadn't moved from where he had left her: her back to him, looking at the large bed. He watched as she shuffled uneasily as shivers erupted through her body time after time.

She sighed and mumbled a soft, "It's a little chilly in here." His eyebrows met in concern. Was she really still that cold? He had the heat turned up much higher than he usually did, sweeping him with hot flashes on occasion. He shook his head slightly. Was he stupid? Of course she was still cold. She had almost died the day before in the worst blizzard he'd ever seen.

She didn't seem to realize that he had yet to leave. Soul slowly walked up behind her, reaching around her head with his right arm to determine the temperature of the skin that lay just under her bangs. He heard her gasp in surprise and then felt her relax under his touch as she realized what was happening. Her skin felt like silk, smooth and cool.

"You're still pretty cold, huh?" he said knowingly.

"Yeah," she admitted as he pulled his hand away, shivering once again. Soul scratched his cheek as he contemplated how exactly to go about asking this. They had just 'made up' and he didn't want to do or say anything that would jeopardize the comfort that came with her company a second time.

"So ... uh ... " he stammered out. "I could … sleep here, just for the sake of … warmth?" Was that a question or a statement? He wasn't sure, but he waited for her reply patiently, hoping that she hadn't taken it the wrong way. He backed away from her a few steps when it registered just how inappropriately close he was to her back, putting a fair amount of distance between them. Her body trembled from the lack of heat that had been radiating off of him.

"Um! ..." She turned to him quickly after a while of contemplation. Maka seemed to falter as their eyes met and a slight blush danced across her cheeks. "I ... I would appreciate that." She mumbled a bit too softly for him to make out as she relieved herself of his devilishly handsome features.

"What?" he asked. Had he not heard her? What does he mean 'what?' Come on! Why was he being difficult, this was hard enough for her already.

"Sleep next to me," she all but demanded, orbs becoming indignant as she looked at him again. She found her sudden courage crumble slightly, however; when she was met with the mischievous look on his face.

"If you insist," he shrugged, slowly turning to stalk towards her in an almost predatory way. This could either make or break their new … _connection_ as two people who were rather fond of each other. It was a weird idea, but the way she had said ' _sleep next to me_ ' had been a little too heavy for the situation. He was already feeling _less than innocent_ things toward her in that moment, but telling him, in that particular tone of voice, to sleep next to her, in his bed … it would have been too much to handle without some childish distraction. He prayed to God that this worked.

Maka stepped back only to realize what he was planning when Soul playfully lifted his hands and began to purr as he got closer to her. She giggled as he rolled his shoulders like a lion ready to pounce.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

"Hide-and-go-seek-tag," he chuckled. "or as I call it, Cat and Mouse. Loser cooks breakfast." He smirked slyly as he awaited her response.

She looked at him with amusement and nodded. "Deal."

Maka squealed when he jokingly roared at her and she jumped up onto the bed, crawling across it in an attempt to escape. She barely made it, for his oversized body could almost reach all the way over the mattress to her. She laughed again as he got on all fours to creep over the sheets slowly after her. She ran to the walk in closet and closed the door behind her. The light was still on so she switched it off and ducked into some hanging clothes, hoping to raise her chances of not being caught. Soul seemed to be giving her a moment to hide properly before she saw light spill in. What a gentleman.

"This is a marvelous hiding place. I applaud your survival instincts." Maka had to work to hold in the giggle that dared to reveal her position. After a moment of silence, Soul added, "Quite the resolve you have, too, but it won't save you..." He slowly stepped into the closet, shutting the door behind him. They now sat in pitch black as she listened for any movement from the predator. Little did she know, his night vision and hearing were fantastic. Two of the many perks of being a member of the secret weapon society. He stilled a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dark and then looked around. He walked slowly past her, ears catching a small breath. He smirked as he said, "Fee-fi-fo-fum" in a much deeper voice than normal. She suppressed the urge to laugh once again, biting her lip as she began crawling back towards the door, one hundred percent planning to lock him in the closet. He heard her begin to move as he traveled farther into the clothes. Knowing her intent full well, he made his way down the long line of clothing in the opposite direction of her.

What had brought this all about, he couldn't be very sure, but she was fun and just as playful as he secretly was. Very few people knew of his true childish nature, let alone brought it out. For once he was enjoying himself. He had to thank her, she could have very well made this the most awkward moment of both of their lives, but instead, chose to go with it. It had been a rather odd plan on his part to distract them from the whole romantic air that had erupted during their earlier exchange of words. The hug especially had had a very rare and very _real_ effect on Soul.

The two continued to move in opposite directions. To his advantage, there was a pocket door hidden on the far end of the closet. He skillfully snuck out before she could notice and quickly walked through a shorter closet, shutting the doors behind him and turned down a dark hall that led back to the living room. He snuck back into his room and waited for her to try and sneak out of the closet. He watched as the door knob slowly turned and she quickly opened, exited, and immediately shut and locked the door from the outside.

"Ha! Try and catch me now!" she yelled through the door.

"Clever, little mouse," he spoke from his perch on the bed. Her head shot around to look at him. She was absolutely flabbergasted. "But not quite clever enough."

"Wait! How did you ..."

"A magician never reveals his secrets," he stated, smirking slightly. "Now, ... where were we?" She squealed again as she darted past him for the living room before he could lurch forward at her. She ran from the room, Soul following shortly after. Maka only went where she had been, not knowing where dead ends might lead to her demise, and he chased after her.

Finally, after a few minutes or so of him having mercy on her and allowing her to escape his capture, he found himself wrapping his arms around her middle as she attempted to dart past him in the living room. He pulled her back into his chest and lifted her off the ground, whirling around and dropping to the floor. She laughed loudly, kicking her feet as he began to tickle her mercilessly. Determined to put up a fight, she forced her hands to find his stomach, rewarding her with a pause in his light, though malicious, torture. He retracted himself and retreated quickly. Maka sat up giggling and watched as Soul began to worm away from her.

"Are you ... ticklish, by chance?" Soul halted at her words only to begin shuffling faster towards his bedroom. "Oh, no you don't!" Maka got up, intent on tickling herself a giant teddy bear as she chased after him. He was standing when she got to the room, eyes pleading as his hands were outstretched, set on defending himself.

"Please, ... " he said. "I don't wanna hurt a girl." He couldn't help the smirk as it tugged at the corner of his mouth. He wouldn't hurt her on purpose, but he could not be held accountable for the harm of others if he was to be tickled.

Her smile turned sinister as she quoted, "Never give up. Never surrender." Okay, no. That was hot. What the Hell. Soul couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped his lips as she attempted to pounce on him, failing miserably as he was a giant and she was exceedingly shorter than the average person. He did, however, against his better judgment, catch her before she could fall and face plant. They ended up stumbling onto the bed laughing as they laid side by side.

"Well, that was fun and spontaneous," she stated. "Thank you for that." She smiled, feeling exceedingly warmer than before as Soul turned his head to the right to look at her. She was laying on her stomach, feet kicking as they hung off of the bed, hair in perfected disarray. Arms tucked under her, her hands in fists at her chest. She was almost glowing.

His legs were also hanging off of the bed, though actually reaching the floor. He was laying on his back, much in the same position as when he had collapsed on the living room floor earlier.

"No, thank _you_." He said. "It's been an unbearably long time since I last had this much fun."

She blushed furiously at the lava that seemed to burn through her. "Mm," she muttered as she averted her gaze. "Me, too."

He grinned at her reaction and sat up. If they kept going like this, the whole 'Cat and Mouse' idea would have been for not.

"We should get to bed, it's already almost midnight." She nodded and they began moving around. Soul stood before Maka called out to stop him again.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked playfully.

"Couch." He pointed in the direction of the living room as he looked back at her with a toothy grin plastered on his face. Ha, he thought he was so funny.

Maka rolled her eyes and tried to suppress a smirk. "Quit messing around, you mountainous mass of heat." She said. "I'm tired ... and cold ... " Her cheeks burned slightly and suddenly, she didn't feel quite as chilly as she had a moment ago.

He chuckled. "Is that all I am to you? A source of warmth?"

She pretended to be appalled as her hand met her chest, mouth gaping open. "Why, what do you take me for? Of course not. You also provide food and water." She joked.

He couldn't help but laugh. What sass. "Well, alrighty, then. I'll be right back, _Your Highness._ " Soul went and turned off the apartment lights, only leaving a few night lights on here and there. He re-entered the bedroom with two glasses of water. "Your water, my lady."

She looked at it questioningly as he outstretched a cup to her. "I don't know about you, but I get thirsty at night," he explained as he handed her a glass, setting one down on a coaster on his preferred side of the bed. Maka snickered at what he had said, finding it erotically humorous, but decided not to comment on it. She peeled back the covers and laid down as Soul watched. At the annoyance her orbs held as she and the cool sheets made contact, he followed her lead and climbed into bed. He reached over and turned off the lamp, leaving them in the dark. Both lay there, listening to the other breath, trying to fall asleep to no avail.

" ... Soul? ... " Maka whispered. "Are you awake?" He turned over to face her. He could see her stiffen slightly at his movement. "Did I wake you?" she asked sheepishly.

"Honestly?" he grumbled. "No. Can't seem to go to sleep."

"Neither can I," she answered truthfully. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"When I leave tomorrow ... " she began, "will we ever see each other again?"

Soul thought on that for a moment. He definitely wanted to see her again. He hoped that they could become friends. He glanced outside his massive window over her small form, street lights barely noticeable due to the heavy weather conditions.

"You mean _if_ you leave tomorrow," he corrected her. "and yes, I most certainly would enjoy seeing you again," he answered, a gentle smile overtaking his features for the first time.

"What do you mean 'if'?" she giggled out. "Plan on keeping me here to serve you for the rest of my days as payment for saving my life?" she joked, earning her a chuckle from Soul.

"Now, that's not such a bad idea," he laughed. "But as tempting as that sounds, I was referring to the weather. If it keeps up, you'll be stuck here. There's no way they'll be able to start any cars with how cold it is and it's supposed to get worse. Or so says the weatherman." He rolled to lay on his back to stare up at the ceiling.

"You're kidding me ... " she said, almost hopefully.

"Why? In a hurry to leave?" He honestly wanted to know, perhaps she didn't really enjoy his company as much as he'd hoped.

"Oh, no!" she said, rising to look at him. "I have a cat at home that needs feeding is all, though she's surprisingly intelligent, so I'm sure she could figure it out for as long as needed," she explained.

"A cat, huh? I'm more of a dog person myself."

"As am I, however, Blair used to be my mom's, so ... " she trailed off, hoping he'd get the hint. Blair was one of two or three things her mother had left behind for her and she held each and every one of them close to her heart. Even if the dumb cat disrespected her constantly.

"Mmm ... I see. Wait, did you say Blair?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

Maka nodded. "Yup. Momma named her after this fictional human-cat from one of her books." She answered, thinking back to the days she would spend with her mother in silence as she wrote her novels. Maka would just sit and watch her. Those were the days.

"That's quite ironic," Soul laughed. "My brother's girlfriend's name is Blair."

Her eyes widened as she looked to Soul's silhouette. "You're kidding... wait, seriously?"

"I no lie," he joked. "She's tall with long black hair and hazel eyes. She's an aspiring model, actually," he informed.

"That really is ironic..." Maka muttered. A dull silence passed by them without much thought, neither being uncomfortable within it.

"Is she a pretty cat or is she one of those ugly flat faced cat's?" Soul asked abruptly. He smirked up at Maka, earning him a huff. He could see her trying to hide the smile that threatened to upturn her lips as she smacked his chest lightly at the comment.

"She's a beautiful black cat, not too fat, not too skinny, and she has these piercing amber eyes."

Soul laughed out again at the description. "Okay, this is getting weird." He shook his head.

"I agree! How could they be so much alike?" she giggled.

"How does she act? I'm curious to see how far this will go..."

She went on to describe Blair's odd mannerisms as Soul listened, his vision focusing on the outline of Maka's frame in the darkness. He admired how her tresses spilled down her body as she sat completely relaxed in his presence. She was certainly different from any other woman he had ever met.

They began to tell each other stories, mostly regarding their New York experiences in everyday life. Maka had hit some perverts over the head with a large book on train rides, Soul had found the best bakery in town and visited it frequently, and so on and so forth. They continued to talk about the simplest of things, being careful not to go too deep into the other's personal life, until finally, they both fell fast asleep, nearer to one another than they had been before.

* * *

And there it is! Hope you all enjoyed! I had originally planned to upload on the 3rd of every month, but that seemed a bit to long a wait?

So, what'd ya think? Let me know your thoughts!

Until we meet again!

Much love!

K.T.


	4. Chapter 4

**I am back! Sorry for the wait! I proofread the chapter a few times, but I is apology if there be grammy errors and the like ;)**

 **PLEASE REVIEW! It really does encourage me to write faster, guys ... seriously. And I appreciate any constructive and/or _respectful_ criticism. I learn from it and it makes the story better.**

 **Thank you to all who favourited and followed the story, it means so, so much to me that you've taken an interest. Love you guys!**

 **So, ... yeah. I don't own Soul Eater, on with the show!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Four:** Rub-a-dub-dub, Thanks for the Grub

Maka stirred at the uncomfortable pressure that had built up in her lower abdomen over the night. She had to pee. She had to pee _now_. She slowly opened her eyes to see that the world beyond the window was still dark from the heavy clouds and thick snow. She began to stretch slightly until she was met with a large wall; that of limp muscle and radiating heat. She stilled at the soft brush of air that occasionally played - _very closely_ \- across her neck. Maka wiggled around slightly and found that Soul had enclosed her in a lazy embrace to keep her warm during the night. She blushed furiously at the realization that they had been spooning. She began to shimmy away from him so she could make her retreat to the bathroom only to be pulled back against her will. Repeating this process a few times, she finally managed to make her escape. Looking back to make sure she hadn't awoken the massive teddy bear, she halted at what little she could make out of him in the dimly lit room. He looked so peaceful and soft. His hair was even more of a mess than it had been when they went to bed, his mouth was partially open as he laid on his side. His breaths were slow and even. She decided then and there that 'ruggedly handsome' was definitely the best way to describe him. Maka couldn't help but reach over to move the hair from his face. He was gorgeous. She admired his facial features until he began to stir. She quickly and quietly retracted her appendage and crawled out of bed. She heard Soul murmur something but didn't make to look back. She shot to the bathroom and shut the door behind her silently. Her heart was racing. What the heck was she just doing, touching his face like that? How utterly inappropriate. Hopefully, she hadn't awoken him. She wasn't sure what time it was and didn't want to disrupt his slumber.

Maka finished her business and decided it best to flush the toilet, even if it pulled the man in the other room back to reality, as to save herself from the embarrassment of him later finding it. She then washed her hands, opened the door slightly after turning off the lights, and slipped out. She glanced at the bed to find that Soul still lay asleep under the covers, even breaths effortlessly working to ensure the rise and fall of his broad chest. She then checked the time on the clock, which read a blinking '2:03.' Huh. Well, that couldn't be right. She thought for a moment before her stomach made a low, gurgling sound. Clutching her middle, she decided it would be a good idea to cook breakfast for the man who had saved her life. She had been caught last night after all. A deal is a deal.

She made her way out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her, and headed to the kitchen. She searched for the light switch and lit up the beautiful room. She could get used to this kitchen. It seemed to become more and more stunning every time she was met with it. Maka walked to the fridge and peered inside to find breakfast food. To her delight, it was fully stocked with the basic necessities for many meals and she hadn't opened the freezer or other cabinets yet.

Not sure what to make, she searched the entire kitchen quietly to see what all resided in its cubbies. She decided to make pancakes and sausages. She mixed the batter and set about finding syrup, but to no avail. "Guess I'll have to make it from scratch." She muttered. After melting some butter and mixing brown sugar and vanilla extract into it, she began cooking the batter. She grabbed some strawberries, blueberries, and bananas and made them into separate toppings as she continued to flip the pancakes. She placed the three bowls of toppings into the fridge to let them cool and pulled out the bag of sausage. She turned the oven on low to keep the pancakes warm in and began cooking the meat. She knew it would make a lot more noise than anything else and would cook faster, so she had saved it for last, though still hoping it wouldn't wake Soul. She placed the last piece of sausage on the oven safe plate and slid it into the heated square alongside the pancakes to keep warm. She then set about cleaning up after herself. Mixing bowls and whisks and cutting boards and spatulas and so on. By the time she had finished cleaning the counters and the pans had cooled down enough to wash, the smell of food was getting to her, making her stomach rumble once more. She finished washing and putting away the last of it and then grabbed a tall glass of water, gulping it down in an attempt to subdue her hunger.

Maka sighed as she finished her glass, feeling somewhat refreshed yet empty still. She turned to look at the time but was startled to find Soul watching her as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed to punctuate his muscles. An overly handsome eyebrow had risen in speculation, hunger apparent in his ruby eyes. Hunger for what exactly, she wasn't sure.

"I don't know what you cooked," he began. Hunger for food. Noted. Filed. Maka gulped slightly, swallowing the surge of fear that had erupted through her as she waited in anticipation for him to finish. Was he mad? He seemed mad. Perhaps she had miscalculated. She was a stranger in his home, after all. Perhaps he wasn't too keen on her using his kitchen without permission? "but it smells so darn delicious that it woke me up. Gimme." A smirk spread across his face as his tired eyes scanned over her. Was he checking her out? Maka shook her head. In her dreams.

She visibly relaxed and smiled softly up at him as he pushed off of the frame to walk towards her. He looked around the kitchen, finding everything had been cleaned and put away properly, but cooked food was nowhere in sight.

Maka watched him eye the kitchen, slight confusion flicking through his features as he stopped a few feet in front of her and redirected his gaze her way. "Where's the grub? Don't tell me you ate everything yourself..." His head tilted to the right slightly as a pout formed over his face. She couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her lips. He looked so cute, like a child sulking over candy.

"It's in the oven." She answered.

"Great! That means it's hot!" He piped up. "I'll get the plates and cups, you get the food ready!" Soul strolled past her eagerly, his long legs carrying him easily to far and high places. Maka shook her head and grinned as she pulled the food from the oven, turning it off in the process, and then went to get the toppings from the fridge. After placing them on the large island, she then went back to grab the orange juice and milk that she had caught sight of. Soul had gotten the plates and silverware; napkins and cups and had set them up in front of two stools. She set the food up on the island top as well and turned away once again.

"You made coffee, too?!" Maka jumped slightly and turned to him.

"Ah, yes. I remembered you saying you really enjoyed coffee, so I made a lot. I hope you don't mind."

"Mind? Pshhhh... you're the best, short stack." He joked as he got down a mug. "You want some?" He grabbed another mug at her nod as she set about filling their plates with food. "Alright! Two coffees coming u- oh my holy mother ducklings, that looks freakin delicious ... " Soul almost drooled out as he set their mugs down on the island. There was a tall plate of pancakes, perfectly browned; three beautiful fruity toppings put out next to them and a cup of what had to be homemade syrup. Wonderfully crisped sausage graced the other plate, making his mouth water.

"Thank you, I hope you like it. I made different fruit toppings, seeing as I had no clue as to which one you'd prefer." She answered while reaching for her mug. "Do you have sugar and creamer?" she asked, eyeing the black in her cup.

"Huh?" She seemed to have disrupted his stupor.

"Sugar and cream?" she giggled, pointing to her coffee.

"Oh, yeah, sure thing. I don't use it, so it's somewhat old." Soul turned away only to come back with her requested condiments and sat down next to her on the stool.

"This looks really good, Maka. Thank you for making this." Soul reached for the fruit bowls, spooning a little of each onto his plate.

"It was the least I could do." She smiled as she grabbed the blueberries and poured them over her stack of pancakes. She had almost managed to get a fork full of breakfast perfection into her mouth when ...

"Oh, mah fwuuckin gouf mmmm!" Maka turned with a quizzical look to find Soul with a mouthful of pancakes, moaning like they were the best damn things that his taste buds had ever been acquainted with. She watched him swallow after chewing for what seemed like forever before he turned to look at her seriously. His hand shot up, capturing her shoulder, making Maka shudder at the light grip as his eyes scanned over her.

"Maka Albarn" he stated, surprising her that he had remembered her last name. "These pancakes are so good, that they make me want to cuss." She couldn't help the laugh that broke it's way out of her mouth, leaving her to gasp for air. He looked so darn serious, it was hysterical. They both laughed for a short while, joking back and forth about just how _effing_ delicious the food was as they ate.

"I might hire you as my freakin personal chef if this is how you cook all the time." He said, handing Maka a dripping plate. He couldn't seem to talk about anything else all throughout breakfast. He was apparently enchanted by her cooking skills.

"And I might actually take you up on that offer if the pay's good enough. And if I get to eat the meals as well." She dried the plate and reached to put it away on her tip toes, just barely making it. Soul's eyes caught her struggle and thought it adorable but silently proposed they switch, handing her the rag and taking the towel.

"I wouldn't mind. And I will think over the terms." He laughed, shrugging as he took the next plate from her. "You could even live here, so many rooms unoccupied, it gets to me every once in awhile." His eyes watched as he saw her tense for a moment and then relax as she took it as a joke. His smirk faltered for a moment as he contemplated. Was he joking?

"How much is the pay?" she asked, a sly grin playing at her lips. He was pulled from his brief self-analysis with her voice of honey, deciding it better to play pretend than to look any deeper than he already had.

"You kidding? I'm feeding you and providing you with a home!" He laughed out. "You don't need more than that." He sluggishly put a mug away and walked back to her side at the sink.

"What's the point, then?" she handed him some silverware. "I need money to buy stuff, like clothes and what not. Plus the cat needs taken care of."

"Ooohh fine." He conceded. "Twenty-five dollars an hour, no more, no less."

Maka stopped her washing and turned to him. "You're still joking, right? That's a lot of money." She asked, an awkward smile fighting her lips.

"Maybe, maybe not." He shrugged. "Depends on the next meal you cook." Soul leaned forward, right hand on the counter and his left on his hip, lowering his body; bringing himself closer to Maka's frame. Was he flirting? She couldn't tell. Men like him never affiliated themselves with her, especially in a romantic sense. What was she thinking? It was absurd ... wasn't it? She looked back up at him to find that he was closer than she had left him. Oh, man.

He watched as a beautiful blush bloomed over her cheeks. Just the reaction he was looking for. He smiled cheekily and grabbed the last dish from her hands, rinsing it off as he held eye contact until turning to put it away. Butterflies erupted throughout her belly, dancing oddly with her intestines as she watched Soul's broad back retreat.

"You're clothes should be done by now if you want them." Maka placed her hands over her cheeks as she pulled herself out of her daze. Somehow, she felt that she just might be on the verge of trouble. Which trouble, she wasn't sure, but would more than likely find out later.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that, thank you." She answered. Was he serious or joking? She still couldn't tell. Would she seem dense if she were to ask him again? That would be her dream job. Cooking all day for a hot guy with a room of her own and a pay that others would kill for. He had to be kidding.

Maka reached into the water, unblocking it's flow and placing the plug on the edge of the sink. She washed her hands and turned to follow Soul to the laundry room. They left the kitchen and entered the living room, turning left to pass the dining area. They walked straight into a long hallway, turning to the right after Soul switched on the light. All doors were located on the left of the hall except for one door at the very end.

"I'm continually amazed at how large this place is..." Maka stated as they walked past a few doors before Soul went to open the fourth.

"Yeah. I can take you on the tour after you change. It'll take us a while, this place is pretty big." He smirked. "This is the laundry room." He flicked on the lights and walked in. It was a good sized room. It had practical white tile with blue walls and uncharacteristically calm yet bright lighting, not fluorescent. To the far left, it held a large white washer and dryer set, one on top of the other, and a countertop with a large sink closer to the door. Several blue and white cabinets ran along the walls. At the far right, there was a clothing rod to hang clothes on placed next to an ironing table.

Maka watched as Soul opened the dryer and felt inside, making a face.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"They're still damp. The electricity might have gone off last night. I noticed it got quite chilly after we went to sleep, so ... it probably got turned off before it could finish." He huffed as he closed the door and restarted the dryer.

"Your, um ... undergarments are done, however ... " He blushed slightly as he lazily pointed behind him to the pastel underwear hanging up. "The tags said not to put them in the dryer."

Maka blushed madly and strode farther into the room, grabbing at the underwear desperately. How embarrassing.

"Th-thank you. I really appreciate that." She stammered out. An awkward silence passed between them before Soul cleared his throat to fill the void.

"I can lend you more of my clothes if you'd like." He offered, scratching the back of his head. They continued to face away from each other, too abashed to look into the other's eyes.

"That's okay. These are fine ... "

"Maka ... " He turned to her, waiting to see if she would do the same. "Maka." He repeated when she made no move to acknowledge him. Ever so slowly, Maka turned towards him, refusing to meet him in the eye.

"You should change." He spoke.

"No, I think these are-"

"You're covered in pancake batter and sausage grease."

"Wh-what?" Maka's head shot up to Soul and then back down to look herself over. He was right. She was covered in breakfast makings. "Ah ... " Maka felt heat spread across her cheeks as she pulled the bottom of the sweatshirt out to get a better look at the mess she was wearing. "Yeah, I think I'll take you up on that offer. We should wash these as soon as possible."

"Let me just go um ... find something that might fit you." Soul all but fled the room. Instead of following him, she waited there, allowing herself to calm down before he came back. Why was this so awkward? He had stripped her, seen her naked, and dressed her in his clothes. His big, warm, comfortable clothes ... and she had ruined them without even noticing. She looked at her underwear. They were cleaned well and she was happy to not have to go commando anymore, but somehow, she regretted the practical side of her. Now that she looked at them, they were rather plain ... Oh. That's why she felt embarrassed. Not because he had seen and washed her underwear, but that the underwear itself looked like something a grandma would wear. But why should she care about that? They were cheap and comfortable and practical. Maka sighed, looking around the room. She found her purse was sitting on a countertop, and having nothing better to do, she walked over to it to make sure everything was there in an attempt to distract herself. Her phone, her wallet, pepper spray, everything was accounted for except the one thing she wanted. Her mother's locket.

Soul walked back to his room quickly. He hadn't really thought of her reaction to him having washed her undergarments for her. He had just wanted her to have something of her own to wear, and you know, underwear and bras were kind of a necessity for women ... weren't they?

He took a deep, calming breath and walked to his closet to search for anything warm that wouldn't just fall off of her. Finding yet another large black hoodie and sweatpants, he grabbed another long sleeved t-shirt and socks and took his time to walk back to her. Once there, he was met with her looking through her purse.

"Seeing if I stole anything?" Maka jumped slightly, looking over at him as her hand rose to clutch at her heart. Her grassy orbs were graced with his signature smirk as he held the clothes over his right shoulder, hands tucked away in his pockets.

"Quit sneaking up on me." she scolded. "And no. I'm looking for my mama's locket, you know, the one I told you about?" Maka's attention turned back towards the purse as she decided to check through it again. No matter how attractive this man was before her, her mother's heirloom was exceedingly more important right now.

"Oh! Yeah, I put it in that drawer right there." Soul pointed to a drawer before moving to place the clothes down. "One of the chain links was about to come apart so I fixed it." She glanced up toward him at that, the overly fond look she held completely lost on him. "It took me a moment, but I realized as I was looking for clothes that you and I are completely different sizes." He stated as Maka quickly redirected her gaze and opened the drawer to retrieve her keepsake, making her laugh.

"And it's taken you this long to figure that out?" she joked, smirking slightly. A gruff chuckle flowed through the air.

"Well, I had a momentary lapse of logic. But anyway, this is all I can really do, huge hoodie and sweatpants." He said, sliding them to her as she inspected the necklace and then placed it in her wallets change pocket.

"That's quite alright." She giggled. "They're extremely comfy. Thank you." She turned and smiled up at him, making him feel things once again. His heart went pitter patter as his stomach did back flips and for some reason, all he wanted to do was 'boop' her little button nose. He instead, however, he found himself ruffling her hair. What? What, what, what? Why? No, no. No. Bad Soul.

Reeling himself back in and mentally shaking his head, he backed up a little. He nervously rubbed his fingers over his palm, his face turning to it quizzically as he felt the icky greasy consistency. He looked down at his hand and looked back at her hair.

"So um, you have grease and batter in your hair." Maka reached up as the words registered, feeling gunk layering her locks. She scrunched her face at the unwelcome grime. "Shower?" he chuckled. She nodded and they walked to his bathroom. "Just let me know when you're done." He stated, turning and shutting the door behind him.

Doing as she was told, Maka stripped and shivered at the feel of her birthday suit being without gargantuan clothes to keep her warm. She turned on the hot water and stepped into the abyss of steam. The heat massaging her back was wonderful. She still ached from prior events, chills would spread over her form from time to time, and her throat was still so sore. She gargled some of the hot water and let the warmth consume her, working at her tender muscles.

Maka finished washing her hair and skin and grabbed the towel she had used the night before. She sat down on the edge of the tub wrapped in a large cocoa coloured towel, looking around the room. Like everything else in his home, the bathroom was extremely large. The shower stood to her far left in the corner, steam still fogging up the glass doors, was big enough to comfortably fit five people in. The jacuzzi tub she sat on was on the left side when entering the room, located after large cabinets. The sink had bronze plating and stuck up a touch higher than the black marble counter. The mirror opposite of her covered the entire right wall. Everything was coloured bronze, tan, and brown, with black lining. The floor was made of dark stones, seemingly putting everything in place. It had a very exotic feel to it and was somehow comforting. She had to admit, Soul had impeccable taste.

Maka stood and leisurely dried herself off with the huge towel. She turned to change, slipping into the clean underwear only to find that the oversized clothes Soul had gotten for her were absent. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, looking around in an effort to find them to no avail. Mentally retracing her steps, she closed her eyes and sighed in defeat as she realized where they had been left. The laundry room. Of course. As if the past two and a half days hadn't been bad enough, she just had to forget borrowed clothes in the other room.

"Hey, Soul?" she checked through the closed door. When no response was heard, she wrapped herself in the towel once again, cracking the door open to find the bedroom vacant. "Soul?" She stepped cautiously out into the room to be met with cool air. She was overtaken with a shiver but soon began to slowly make her way to the laundry room in hopes of getting the much-needed clothing. She peeked her head out into the living room, looking this way and that. No Soul to be found, she traveled on further, tip-toeing across the wood to the hallway. She scanned the hall, noticing a light shining from under one of the doors. Luckily the laundry room door was wide open, indicating that maybe he was in the former. She snuck past as quickly as possible and poked her head around the corner just to make sure he wasn't there. A sigh of relief flourished and she made to enter the room, closing the door behind her.

She shuddered involuntarily as she let the towel fall to the ground. She reached for the clean pile of clothing, grabbing the long sleeved t-shirt and sliding it over her head. A few droplets of water slid down her form, as her long hair was still wet. She grimaced as she felt chills begin to sweep across her body once again.

The sound of a door opening startled her, making her eyes widen as she turned to look to the opposing sound. There stood Soul, eyebrows lifted as he scanned her form briefly. They stared at one another for a moment before Soul muttered a curt apology and quickly shut the door. Maka turned back, red sprinkling across her face heatedly as she clutched the sweat pants to her chest.

Soul stood outside the laundry room, still holding onto the handle, blankly staring off into space. Did he just walk in on her changing? He blinked. He wasn't sure. She had adorned enough clothing to cover all of the essential areas, but he seemed to recall that her legs lacked a certain article. Yes. Her legs had been bare. They had been as long and creamy as he remembered. Not that he had time to admire them either time, when he had stripped and clothed her or, well, ... just now. His shirt came down to almost her mid thigh. Dark forest green looked good on her, he noted. Shaking his head in an attempt to rid himself of any incoming inappropriate thoughts, he began to listen to her through the door.

'I'm being such a creep...' he sighed internally.

He could hear her bustling about within the confines of the room, more than likely covering herself. He felt the door knob begin to turn and he jerked back in surprise. He had apparently been holding onto it this entire time. Weird. The door opened to reveal a fully clothed Maka, dressed head to toe in black and forest green. He stared down at her, holding a huge towel in her hands as the clothes seemed to be consuming her, hair dripping every so often. An adorable blush had blossomed across her cheeks, giving way to the slight embarrassment she had just experienced. 'Cute.' he thought.

She glanced up at him, being met with his admiring gaze, which soon became apologetic.

"I am so sorry for walking in on you. I just wanted to ... um..." He bowed his head a bit as he cast his eyes downward. His right hand came up to scratch the back of his head. She followed his gaze to find some dirty clothes in his left hand. She silently moved aside to let him into the room. He entered and threw his clothes into the washer, not starting it as he found Maka had left hers in his master bath.

"I'm really sorry..." He began again after not getting an answer the first time.

"It's fine." She whispered. "You couldn't have seen much with this humongous shirt covering me." She was rewarded with a soft chuckle.

"True." He concurred. "It leaves much to the imagination." Soul relaxed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"It would, except you've already seen everything there is to see, which isn't much." She had meant it as a joke, but poor Maka didn't exactly excel in what was or wasn't socially acceptable sarcasm.

The air became thick for a moment as another awkward quiet passed between them. She averted her gaze as surprise had awoken in his orbs. Was that a jab at him? Possibly. She had sounded playful, though now her demeanor conveyed that she was in desperate need for a change of subject. And being the gentleman he was, he would provide.

"So!" he turned to her. "How about that tour?"

* * *

 **Okay! There you are, my lovlies! I hope you enjoyed that! Let me know your thoughts!**

 **Just a few announcments:**

 **I will be posting the next chapter of my other Soul Eater story within the next two weeks! I encourage you all to go take a look at it. It'll be a lot _steamier_ than this story, so if that's what you're looking for... go 'head. ;p It's called 'That One Night'. It's another AU. x)**

 **I want to start posting other stories, but I would like to hear your feedback. I plan for Bigger Bed to be a fairly long story, so if you crave more, I will post short smuts and fluffy oneshots. Also, Soul Eater will always be my main, but if y'all have any other anime/manga you would like to request of me to write stories for, I would love to do so!**

 **uh ... so, yeah, that's all I got.**

 **Much Love! - K.T.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, dear readers! Sorry about the wait! I had some issues with this chapter (you'll see why) and am still not so sure it's up to par, but I hope you enjoy it none the less! And my apologies for the length, wish it could be longer.**

 **At present, I have two other Soul Eater stories that are up and would love nothing more for you to check them out!**

 **Oh! And thank you to the guest who pointed out the misspelling in chapter one! Much appreciated, I'll try to remember to fix it soon! If anyone finds anything else grammatically or otherwise, please do let me know!**

 **Without further ado, chapter 5!**

* * *

 **Chapter Five:** **Empty rooms**

"So, how about that tour?" Soul asked, playfully pushing Maka on the shoulder. She was taken aback slightly at the sudden change in the atmosphere but smiled at his attempt to clear the air.

"Yes, please," she nodded shyly.

"Right this way, my lady," Soul smirked slyly as he outstretched his right arm, motioning her toward the hallway. Thanks to his upbringing, Soul found it easy to mask his emotions when needed, and right now, Maka needed him to do so to push past this uncomfortable endeavor. That and ... he didn't like it when she averted her eyes. He wanted her attention for reasons he couldn't explain nor justify.

She set down her damp towel on the counter and exited the room, a smile gracing her features at Soul's antics. He followed her out, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

"So, that was the laundry room. This is the hallway." Maka giggled under her breath, softly whacking Soul in the chest as began to sound like a realtor. "Okay, so this next door is a walk-in linen closet, that's currently empty." He began as they started walking back towards the living room. "And then we have another full bathroom, only used by rare visitors from time to time. And then a guest bedroom, which my brother usually occupies when he visits but doesn't adorn any furniture."

"What doe he sleep on, then?" Maka asked.

"He usually uses a sleeping bag or he'll crash on the couch." Soul coughed, realizing how awkwardly _empty_ his huge apartment was.

"What about down that way?" Maka turned and pointed back past the laundry room.

"Oh, uh, well the last door on the left is the stairwell to the next level up and the right is a ... coat closet that I store some personal stuff in. I'd appreciate it if you didn't open it." Soul answered. Maka got the feeling that it wasn't up for discussion, so instead of digging into his personal life, she replied with, "Upstairs?" A huge smile formed over her face.

"Yes," Soul nodded, keeping to the path back towards his living room. "but I think we should go down stairs and work our way back up." He pointed to the door at the very end of the hall.

Downstairs? How many floors did he say there was? She thought back for a moment. Four. Five including the roof. Maka nodded in agreement as he opened said door, which led to a loft of sorts which slowly and tastefully turned into black metal bars. A spiral staircase was located at the far end. Instead of leading to another portal to open, it opened up into a large space filled with comfortable furniture spread along walls with high tables scattered about the room. Mirrors were placed along the walls every few paces, making the room seem bigger than it was. A huge fireplace at the right end of the room with a large seating area gave it a homey feel, but the giant chandeliers added elegance. The ceiling seemed to go up pretty high.

"Why is the ceiling so high up?" Maka wondered aloud.

"It's the way I wanted it built. As a business own- ..." Maka looked up at Soul as he paused, clearing his throat. "pardon me, ...business owner's son, I'm sometimes expected to host balls, galas, etcetera." That was close. Nice save. "This is the floor I use for such occasions. I'm not really too keen on having people roam my home." Soul then pointed to the far left corner straight across from them to a pair of elevator doors. "That's the entrance, and to the left, you see that hallway?" he asked. Maka glanced over and saw said hall on the left-hand wall.

"Yeah, I see it," she nodded, enchanted by the beauty of the room.

"Well, that leads to an enormous coat closet and bathrooms. The rest is as you can see. And over here we have where the band's usually play and the dance floor." Soul turned them to the right to see a wide but short stage set with sound monitors on the right wall. The dance floor was located under his living space, making the ceiling lower than the rest of the room. All of the floors were red wood set in tasteful square designs, though the dance floor seemed to have some form of protective coat over it. All of the walls were a pleasant créme colour. It felt very 'high society.'

Maka began to step forward and turned to look around the dance floor, spotting another hallway further to the right. "Where does that lead?" she asked, pointing to the unlit corner.

"That leads to more bathrooms and the kitchen used by caterers."

"You had a kitchen made especially?" Maka thought this all somewhat odd. Soul was most certainly rich, judging just by the looks of his second floor, but this ... this was something she hadn't imagined, and there were more floors to explore. "Isn't that a little much?" She turned to look up at the tall, rugged man.

He was looking up at the chandeliers scattered over the high ceiling. Without looking down at her curious gaze, he answered, "'Cause where else would they store the food? People gotta eat and fancy people like to be served, not to serve themselves." He sighed with slight disgust. From what Maka could tell, he wasn't too awfully impressed with 'fancy people'. He seemed ... tired of it.

"Do you enjoy the events that you hold here?" she inquired. He took a long moment to think over her question before finally turning to catch her marvelous paradise orbs.

"No. If I'm being honest," he told her. "But you didn't hear it from me." That toothy grin of his formed on his lips as he nudged her toward the stairs. "This room is my least favorite, really. Makes me squeamish. Mind if we continue to the upper level?"

"Of course!" She spun around and almost jogged to keep up with his lanky legs. "I can't wait to see the rest of it!"

As they climbed back up the stairs, Soul hit the lights and reached up behind Maka to open the door for her. The first thought that crossed her mind was how much of a gentleman he was, but she also pondered over why he didn't just go up the stairs first if he was going to reach around her to open the door. It confused her somewhat, not used to being treated like a lady, and the slight invasion of her personal space made her a tad bit uncomfortable.

"There's an elevator that leads to this level as well," he told her, bringing her out of her thoughts as he locked the stairwell door. Maka turned to him, brows knitted together in question.

"Where? I thought I'd seen everything?" she asked as she began to move through the living room, looking around carefully.

"It's down the other hall in the dining room," he answered. Soul headed toward the kitchen to get a glass of water, seemingly alright with Maka making her way to said hallway by herself. She entered the dining room and walked down the large table until she could turn left. Seeing the light switch, she flicked it up, illuminating the hall. She followed the path to soon be met with large metal double doors at the end of the hallway to the left. There were two doors across from the elevator on the right as well. She opened the one nearest to the end of the hall to reveal a coat closet. The second wouldn't open. She briefly wondered what could lay beyond the door, but didn't dwell on it. Maka couldn't get over how big this place was. It was incredibly large for one man.

She turned from the door and made her way back to the kitchen, switching off lights along the way, to find Soul drinking a tall glass of water. He looked up from his glass as she entered.

"So, what do you think so far, half pint?" Did she like the nicknames now? They seemed less like cruel mockery and more like terms of endearment. She smiled at that. For some reason, they were growing on her, _he_ was growing on her.

"I really like it so far. It's just so big for one person." Soul held out another glass of water for her. She accepted it and took a sip. "Doesn't it get kind of lonely up here by yourself?"

A small smile wormed its way upon his lips corner. "Sometimes, but may I remind you, I do have a few friends." Her eyes widened as she realized what she had implied. She hadn't meant to insult him. Of course, he had friends. Assuming he never saw anyone from the outside world, how rude of her. "If anyone here resembles Rapunzel, I think it would be you," he joked with a chuckle full of fondness, allowing a hand to rest upon her shoulder reassuringly at the look of distress forming over her face. "It's alright," he said. "Not like you've seen them. I do enjoy solitude, however. It gives me peace of mind." He stood from his perch on the counter and washed his glass, putting it back in the cupboard. Maka gulped down her water and soon did the same to follow quickly after him.

"Ready to go explore level three?" Without waiting for her answer, he strode into the living room and turned toward the hallway.

"Actually," she caught his attention, directing his eyes her way. "I have to use the restroom first," she finished, turning and walking into his room after receiving a nod. He rose his eyebrows in surprise that she hadn't used the guest bathroom, but somehow, he felt comfortable with her using his private bathroom. He awaited her return as his thoughts turned over the events of the last two days. He had saved a life, and not just any life, but the life of a young woman who was a prized worker of his company. They had both been very lucky. He liked her. She was an introverted extrovert, optimistic with a good sense of humour, and she was mature yet could let her childish side roam unsupervised. He had only met her two days ago and he felt like they could become very close friends.

"-oul? Soouuul?" He was knocked out of his stupor when he registered a small hand waving in front of his face. When did she get here? "You okay?" she asked, concern evident on her features.

"Oh, sorry. I was daydreaming, I guess," he shrugged. "You all ready?"

Maka squinted at him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm fine, Maka, brain just needed a break is all," he joked as he began to lead the way down the hallway.

"... If you're sure," she conceded, letting him off the hook just this once. He opened the door for her and followed her up the stairs, which lead to another door. Once again, he reached up behind her and opened the door. "If you're going to keep doing that, why not walk in front?" she questioned under her breath, feeling a little hot at their close proximity. Him having a perfect view of her behind all the way up the stairs was bad enough, but reaching around her while bringing his chest close to her back was just uncalled for. Soul opened the door and lightly ushered her forward into the dark, his hand slipping to the small of her back. Maka gasped breathlessly at the small touch. Even through clothing, she could feel the warmth of his hand seeping through to her skin. It seemed to ignite something foreign to her.

"I apologize, what did you say?" he asked, unaware of the effect he was beginning to have on her.

"I-I asked you why you don't just walk in front, instead of reaching around me to open doors?" She answered, thankful for the lack of light as she felt her cheeks heat up.

Soul shifted behind her, reaching for something. Ever so softly, she felt his fingers glide across her back as his body heat got further away. What was he doing? She saw lights begin to dimly sweep across the room, slowly getting brighter. He was reaching for the lights. She looked over at him, his hand still barely touching her lower back.

"You don't like it?" he asked.

"What?"

"When I open doors for you." He elaborated, turning his exquisite red wine orbs to settle upon her form. "Does it bother you? Are you a feminist by any chance?" What? Was he messing with her? She saw his signature smirk crawl into place as he waited for her answer, moving back to his place to the right of her. She briefly pondered if he realized where his hand was. It was currently drawing circles on the left side of her lower back. She felt a shiver run up her spine, not going unnoticed by Soul, though being the source of it didn't seem to cross his mind.

"I am not a feminist, per se..." she began. "I believe in equal rights, but it's not like I yell at guys for being gentlemen. I was just curious as to why you choose to let me go first when you know how awkward it is to reach around me to open the door," she huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face.

He chuckled at her reaction. Once he had seen her quiver slightly, he stepped a bit closer and had begun rubbing her back up and down in an attempt to warm her up. "I apologize," She looked back up at him, finding sincerity in his face, though a small smile still lingered. Was he closer than before? "but it isn't awkward for me, it's simply out of habit. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can stop." They stood there for a moment, their eyes staring at each other in a silent dance. Maka swallowed somewhat loudly. His hand had stopped its movement and now rested at the small of her back again. She liked the way it felt, being near to him, having his hands on her.

"No," she finally answered, clearing her throat. "I was just wondering why you did it." She was the first to break eye contact, dropping her gaze to his feet. They were very big feet, hidden by black socks.

"Lady's first, open the door, pull out their chair ... " he trailed off. "It's how I was raised." He retracted his hand from her and began to lead the way down a much wider hallway than the downstairs. It looked something like a hotel lobby. It had darker colours than his living area as well. The carpet held a lovely design; dark green, tan, and a purplish colour danced in intricate swirls, two large tan strips on the outer sides. The wallpaper similar to the carpet only ran in a thick line down the middle of the wall. Above the streak was the tan, below the same dark green. The lights were the same as his living room, warm and inviting.

She began to follow him, jogging to his side. He slowed as he saw her struggle to keep up as they passed several unexplained doors.

"Interesting colour choices." She said. "I like them." Soul glanced back to find her admiring a large ceiling to floor mirror with a beautiful golden frame. He smiled as she reached out and delicately ran her fingers along the gold. "This is beautiful ... " She whispered. He waited a few minutes, staring at her as she began inspecting it closer. She was so damn cute; she was so tiny, but she had that fiery spirit that lit her up. He cleared his throat after a while, more to avert his own attention than hers. "Oh! Sorry." She smiled shyly and walked up next to him as they began walking again. Maka followed quietly as Soul led her, but curiosity began to bubble in her stomach.

"Hey Soul, why are we just passing everything? Isn't this supposed to be a tour?" She took a fist full of the back of his shirt and yanked twice as she asked. It came out as a humorous inquiry, somewhat teasingly, but she really wanted to know.

Soul felt the pull of his clothes and twisted his body to look at her hand in mirth. She was looking at another mirror, not quite as big, but the gold frame was much more intricate than the last. "I wanted to start at this end of the hall and work our way back before going to eat lunch." Without looking up at him, she simply nodded in understanding. He smiled down at her, her hand still left attached to his shirt. He decided to flick her forehead to get her attention once more.

"Ow! Soul..." she pouted as her free hand rubbed the now sore spot on her head. "Whyyyy?" she asked, finally looking up at him. He laughed as he knew he hadn't flicked her that hard.

"Baby," he chuckled out as he began to walk further down the hall, decidedly allowing her hand to keep its hold on his shirt before she herself realized her forwardness and let go. They soon came to stop in front of wide double doors at the end of the hall. "Alright, step right up!" Soul began, sounding like one of those guys at a carnival booth. "Would the little missy with the long golden locks like to take a guess as to what lies behind door number one?" He held an invisible mic up to Maka. She grinned up at him as she placed her index finger to her chin in mock contemplation.

"Mmm ... what do I get as a prize if I get it right?" she asked, meeting his gaze.

"Chocolate," Soul replied quickly, giving her a confident wink. Chocolate. Always a safe bet.

"Accepted." They shook hands to seal the agreement, feeling tingles run through themselves as skin became acquainted. Maka looked back at the doors and tried to think of the most absurd thing it could be. "I will guess ... a bowling alley."

At that, Soul reached to a light switch on the outside, lighting up the room beyond the large wooden doors.

"Let's see if the little missy is correct!" He grabbed the handles and pushed through the doors to reveal a six-lane bowling alley.

Maka's mouth almost hit the ground when her eyes met the contents of the room. "It's really a bowling alley?!" she yelled. "How the heck?!" She began to stomp forward into the room, getting a better look. The carpet was a beautiful dark blue, walls mostly a light coloured wood, and the ceilings were a crème. To the right was a wall of bowling shoes and a small hall that held lockers, several benches spread out down the middle. To her left seemed to be a place for food, like a small diner. She walked forward to peer around the corner to find bathrooms for men to the right, women to the left.

Turning to Soul, she let out a huff. "Just how rich are you exactly?" she asked. "Isn't this a tad too excessive?"

He simply shrugged at her and looked around. "Very, but money can buy many things, and I felt that this would be better than going to a germ infested bowling alley where I'd have to pay to play alongside people I don't know with loud music and screaming and ... _teenagers_." They both shuddered at the word. Teenagers. _Ugh_. Such despicable creatures. To think that they had had to be apart of such an audacious and immoral group of individuals sickened them to the bone. _Bleh_.

"I guess that's fair," she shrugged. "So what's next?"

"What? You don't wanna play?" he asked, honestly a little surprised.

"Maybe later," she turned to smirk at him. "I think I'd rather win more chocolate."

* * *

 **And there it is! I hope that was enjoyable! I will try my best to update again within the next two weeks since you all have been waiting for too long!**

 **Much Love!**

 **K.T.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the wait! It's been one heck of a month for me. I promise that I'll try to update chapter 7 as soon as I'm able!**

 **I know this one's pretty short, but I couldn't find a better place to cut it off.**

 **I hope you enjoy it regardless!**

 **K.T.**

* * *

 **Chapter Six:** Chocolate This, Chocolate That.

Maka turned to continue through the doors, Soul forced to follow after her. He had expected for her to want to play a few rounds at least. Feisty little beasty. She always seemed to surprise him. They reached the next pair of doors as Maka silently admired the different furniture pieces scattered about the hallway.

"Alrighty! What does the young lady guess to be behind door number two?" he asked enthusiastically, holding his invisible mic up once again.

"It has to be another ridiculous room ... " she said thoughtfully as she tapped her chin. She looked to Soul as his eyes bore into hers, making her shiver slightly. Was it getting colder in here? Maybe he didn't heat this floor as much? Why was she suddenly beginning to feel so hot? Wait. Wasn't she just cold? She shook her head to focus.

"I'm going to guess ... an arcade room." She pointed at the door in a gesture of enthusiasm. Soul smirked and opened the doors to reveal a small movie theater.

"So close." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "I can't believe you didn't guess movie theater."

Maka looked on in amazement until a saddened look overtook her features. "What's wrong?" he asked. Was she sweating?

" ... does this mean no chocolate?" Soul chuckled and moved into the room, walking her down the middle aisle to pass four rows on each side of them. He stopped in front of the large screen.

"Ohhhh, I suppose I could give you more chocolate," he joked, catching her pull at the front of the hoodie she was wearing and began fanning herself.

"Score." She smiled up at him before turning to take in the theater. Four big, comfy, black leather recliners lined three rows on either side of her. There were three aisles, one in the middle and one on each outer wall. The floor was a smooth dark pavement with swirls and some sort of coating, giving it a more elegantly rustic feel. She liked it. It was practical and could be cleaned easily. "What"s behind the curtains in the back?" she asked, pointing to the back left.

"Popcorn machine, small refrigerator, and snacks. Didn't want the light shining during the movie," he explained. She simply nodded as she made her way back up the aisle toward the projector. She loved watching movies, but she preferred to read books. It aided the mind in developing an imagination.

"Can we watch a movie later?" She was looking over the buttons on the projector, her small fingers tracing over it lightly.

"Don't see why not. I might even make us some real popcorn, if I'm feeling generous." A wiggle of his eyebrows and a snort later, they were leaving the room. There wasn't much to look at in a dark room meant for movie watching.

Before they could make it to the next pair of doors, however, Maka failed in holding back a rather loud sneeze. Soul nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected noise, clutching a hand to his chest.

"Jiminy Pete, smalls! You okay?" Soul turned to her after making sure his heart hadn't raced down the hall from fright.

"Yeah, yeah," she sniffled. "I'm fi ... fiiiaa-achoo!" She would need a tissue soon. "fine," she finally finished.

Soul crossed his arms over his chest as he observed her, she was looking a little more flushed and sweaty than she had a minute ago, her body had begun to shake slightly, and he could almost hear her heart beating.

"You sure? You're not looking so good."

"I'm fiiine." She waved him off, bringing her arms up to hug herself. "Just a little cold. Now, what's behind door number ... three?" Maka moved to the door and turned to hold the invisible mic up this time. "I believe it to be ... " she paused for effect, "an arcade room!" she finished, opening the doors herself. Low and behold, it was, in fact, an arcade room.

"Yes!" She brought both arms up over her head only to bring them back down. Was the room spinning? ... Nah, she was probably just imagining things. She turned to Soul, a large smile spread across her face. "That's two for me."

"Well, that's not fair." She was definitely sweating. He could see her face glistening in the arcade lights. Though her sparkling attitude made it appear as if she was okay. "I have nothing to guess!" Should he ask her? Did she even realize she was sweating so profusely?

"More chocolate for me." She stuck her tongue out at him and began walking around to see what games he had.

"Do that again and I'll grab your tongue," he threatened, pointing a single digit her way.

"I'd like to see you try." Maka walked passed an air vent, feeling some cool air, and backtracked, nearly running into Soul.

"Watch it, ittzy bitzy. If you're not careful, I might plow you right over."

"Oh, pish posh, a ginormous rex like you isn't much of a threat; definitely a herbivore." If he was going to play the name game, so was she, and she was going to win.

"Meat eater, actually," he whispered before being lightly elbowed in the lower abdomen for his purposefully perverted joke. Okay, he deserved that. He watched as Maka seemed to enjoy the air vent until it began to produce a heated breeze, forcing her from bliss as she quickly stepped out of its range. They continued to move through the room, looking at old games from their childhoods and new ones yet to be conquered, stopping occasionally to rant or bicker about a particular game.

"You have so many of the good ones."

"Yeah, I'm a collector, as you can see." Soul had been keeping an eye on her. She was having sneezing fits for no reason and would then brush it off. She would stop and look disoriented when she turned too suddenly. She seemed to be having hot and cold flashes, going from sweating like she was in the Sahara, to shivering like she was outside in that blizzard. Maybe she was sick? It could be a possibility. She had almost frozen to death only a couple days ago.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, worry evident in his voice and features. Maka looked up at him from the Pac Man game she was playing.

"I'm fine, Soul. Really," she answered, turning back to the game. After dying, she began to walk back towards the door. "Next room!" He simply sighed and followed her, hitting the lights on his way out. He closed the doors and they started making their way to the next set of doors. He wasn't all that sure he wanted to let her into the next room. He preferred people not see it. It was more of a private hobby than an entertainment room for when friends came over. Soul was consumed in thought, weighing the pros and cons until Maka halted and began to sway back and forth in front of him.

"Maka?" Soul's right hand came up to the small of her back as he looked down at her. She was sweating again, more than she had been. Her face was red and he could feel the heat radiating off of her through her clothes. "You don't look so good."

"I don't feel ... so good," Maka finally admitted, almost collapsing onto the floor before Soul caught her.

"Maka? Maka! Can you hear me?" Soul gently lowered them both to the ground to examine her. Did she just faint?! She did! She fainted!

Soul scooped her up into his arms and rushed back downstairs to his living space, careful of the stairs and doorways. He strode into his bedroom and laid her down, checking her pulse. Her heart was racing and she was burning up. Soul pulled her damp tresses from her face, using one of his own hair ties to put it back and proceeded to wrap her up in all of the blankets he could find. He went to the bathroom and grabbed some rags and left them on the bed as he went to get a bowl of hot water. His mother had always taught him that it was better to sweat it out than to cool down the body. Using cold water only made the healing process longer. Using hot water would help the body to continue sweating, but somehow make the patient feel colder. He didn't know how it worked, but it did.

He began to soak a rag and put it on her forehead. Her face was overtaken with pain and he reached to feel her hand, which was extremely cold compared to the rest of her body. He then uncovered her feet to check the appendages. They were also cold. He went and microwaved some heating packs, bringing them back and placing them around her feet and hands, wrapped in blankets so they wouldn't burn her.

"S-Soul." He turned up to look at her quickly.

"Yes, Maka, what is it?"

"I'm really hot."

"I know … but it'll be over soon," he assured her, a hand resting on her shoulder.

"I'm thirsty."

"I'll get you some water." Soul got up and almost ran to the kitchen. When he returned, glass of water in hand, he helped Maka drink the cool liquid, holding her head up as she gulped it down greedily.

"Thank you." She soon fell back to sleep as Soul rubbed up and down her arm.

"No problem."

He continued to monitor her condition, changing her wet rag every so often and reheating the heating packs. She was sweating a lot, tossing and turning, grumbling in her sleep. After about the third time she had awoken for water and fallen back to sleep, Soul was beginning to feel a bit drowsy. He fought the urge to close his eyes, but sleep soon won, overtaking his large body.

When morning came, Soul found himself lying next to Maka on top of the covers. As consciousness brightened his memory of the incidents from the day before, he sprung up onto his hands and knees, hovering over her. He brought his hand up to her face, knowing the extent of her fever before contact could even be made. She was burning up, heat radiated off of her in thick waves. Strained was her breathing, as she seemed to gasp for air, and sweat trickled down the sides of her face. Her body trembled, still feeling the coolness as it raked over her even through the layers upon layers of blankets. Soul sighed. He couldn't do much for her in this condition. There was no way to get her to a doctor with the weather being as it was, and he sure as hell had next to no knowledge on how to take care of someone who was this ill.

Soul resolved to continue pumping her with liquids and vitamins when she awoke, all the while keeping her warm and comfortable. He brought the new bowl of water to rest on the floor next to him and Maka, ringing the wet rag to wipe the sweat away. He had also reheated the heating pads and placed them around her, which seemed to bring down the number of times she'd shiver in a minute. Maka had come in and out of consciousness, Soul making sure to keep her hydrated. Just when he'd thought that she'd cooled down, her temperature would begin to rise again, making her whimper with discomfort.

The poor girl - err, woman - she had already suffered through almost freezing to death and now she was burning up to ungodly degrees. He couldn't feel more sympathetic than he already did. How unlucky.

After awhile, Soul heard a phone ringing in the distance, which he knew to be his office phone. Quickly looking over her to make sure she was okay, he swiftly left the room to catch the phone before it was sent to voicemail. Just in the nick of time, he grabbed the receiver before what could have possibly been the last ring.

"Hello, this is Sullivan Evans," he answered.

"Oh, good! Soul, this is your momma," an angelic voice all but sang from the other side of the line. "Just checking to make sure you're alright! I saw the weather on the news the other day and decided to see if I could get a hold of you!"

"Yes, thank you for calling. I apologize I haven't been in touch lately, mother. The electricity has been going in and out, messing with everything."

"Oh, that's awful! What about your personal backup generator?"

"It kicks in about five minutes or so after the power goes out. Now that you mention it, I should go check on that to make sure it'll work again." Soul wrote himself a small note, telling him to do just that. The city electric had to be working at the moment, otherwise, the call wouldn't have gone through, but it was better safe than sorry.

"So, what have you been up to, Soul my sweet?" his mother inquired. Should he tell her about the small woman he had saved? How he had some stranger sick in his bed? He thought over his answer for a moment, deciding it best not to mention Maka for the time being. He had a hunch that mommy dearest wouldn't be too awfully happy about his overly gallant behavior towards a woman he didn't know.

"Nothing much." Other than saving lives. "The weather doesn't allow for walks."

"Well, be sure to stay active. Don't just sit around listening to Jazz while drinking that dreadful black coffee you like so much. Honestly, I don't know where you get it from." Soul chuckled. His mother probably had the largest sweet tooth of anyone he had ever met, next to his father. He briefly wondered if Maka had a sweet tooth or if she just liked chocolate. Speaking of Maka…

"Okay, mom. I gotta go. I have a, uh, phone meeting in a bit," he lied through his teeth, making an uncomfortable shiver run up his back. Lying to his mother was something he had become unaccustomed to after his rebellious teenage years.

"Oh, alright. Call me more often! I'd like to hear more from you."

"Will do, mother. Talk to you later."

"I love you!"

"Love you, too. Mhm, bye-bye." Soul waited for his mom to hang up first and then set his receiver down in its rightful place. He stood for a moment more before shaking his head, leaving his office to go check on the sick stranger in his bed.

Soft Jazz could be heard dancing with the smell of coffee through the air, a light tapping sound trying to cut in. Soul sat at his office desk, looking over files upon files that had been sent to him over the past few days. Surprisingly, he had completely forgotten to do any work after he found Maka, leaving him buried in mountains of paperwork. He was the owner of a big multi billion dollar company after all.

He sat at his desk, adorning a pair of glasses meant for nothing more than to simply keep him focused. He had on a large, comfortable grey shirt with a baggy black jacket and dark blue jeans, his feet kept warm by grey socks and his black house slippers. He had the same thin black headband on his head to keep his unruly hair at bay so that his eyes could function properly without distraction.

Soul finished reading a document about the production of their new product or something rather before his currant orbs drifted to the time on his laptop screen. It had been almost a half hour since he last checked on his guest, so he removed the elegantly masculine black frames from his face, rubbing over his eyes into the bridge of his nose as he stood. He moved around his desk, grabbing his empty coffee mug, and proceeded through his bedroom quietly to the kitchen. He set the mug on the counter, started a new batch of black coffee, and walked back to his bedroom where he found a ball of messy blankets had disappeared. Worry shot to his stomach and back up his chest.

"Maka?" He strode towards the bed, seeing the ball had fallen to the floor. "Maka?" Soul walked around the California King and knelt down next to the wiggling mass of bedding. "You awake?" Reaching down and grabbing the hem, he slowly peeled the cloth back to find a pouting Maka. He grinned down at her until she shook violently from the chill that had attacked once the sheets were withdrawn. Soul picked her up and placed her back on the bed.

"You okay? Thirsty?" he asked her. Quite the opposite, actually.

A brilliant blush deepened her already rosy cheeks as she fought to steel her resolve. She must say it. She obviously couldn't even get out of bed by herself properly, let alone use the bathroom.

"Maka?" Soul's voice captured her attention, bringing her eyes to his face. She must say it.

"I have to use the bathroom."

* * *

 **There you go! Hope that was enough to sate you all for now!**

 **Please review! With ice cream and whipped cream and all that goodness!**

 **P.S. For all of you going back to school, good luck! I hope all is going well!~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Another short chapter because I tried to write it as quickly as possible. Don't worry, though, I plan to upload the next chapter by the end of this month! I hope you all enjoy!**

 ** _IMPORTANT:_ There will be an announcement at the end of this chapter! Please read it!**

 **Without further ado, chapter seven!**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven:** **Bathroom Mishap**

"I have to use the bathroom."

Soul blinked at her a few times, not quite sure if he had heard her correctly. She had to what now?

"Come again?" he asked, his voice a bit higher than usual, an awkward smile forming over his face.

Maka huffed in mild annoyance, slightly rolling her eyes. This was already embarrassing enough for her. He had come in to find her in need of rescue, yet again, and unable to move about. What did he expect? She met Soul's worried gaze, determination setting in her features. She wished he wasn't looking at her like that, those beautiful wine pools spinning with worry and confusion. This was all his fault really, what with all those liquids he was basically force feeding her. She was surprised she was able to hold it for this long, the pressure becoming almost unbearable. She pursed her lip before repeating herself.

"I. Need. To. Use. The. Bath. Room," she stated. Soul blinked rapidly at her reply. Incredible. Not even able to get out of bed alone and yet she could still find a way to be as sassy as ever.

Soul's realization that he had, in fact, heard her right shown across his face. His facial features seemed to sink at the words. Not only did he save her life from a cold death and strip her with their first encounter, but now he had to help her go potty? They were becoming closer than he had expected.

She watched him as she could see the wheels turning in his head, attempting to find a way out, no doubt.

Soul sighed after a moment, obviously not looking forward to the battle ahead.

"Alright. I'll help you."

Maka squinted her eyes at him. Did he think she meant for him to help wipe her ass? Dumb. She wasn't completely paralyzed, she just needed him to get her out of the bundle of blankets, as cold as it may be on the other side. She was sure she could walk by herself if her body was freed from their current confinement. She coughed slightly, partially to get his attention and partially to rid herself of that itch that had decided to settle itself in her throat. Pest.

Soul didn't notice her attempt as he was busy worrying about how this was all going to pan out. Regardless of his fears, however, he swooped down and brought her up, bundle and all, fully intent on carrying her to the facilities.

"Soul," Maka whispered out, trying more desperately to grab his attention the closer they got to the bathroom. Soul softly kicked open the door and walked into the room, determination powering his strides. He halted for a mere second, gritted his teeth, and made for the porcelain throne. Maka's eyes became wider by the second as they approached the object which was usually used in solitude. She panicked as Soul came to stand in front of it, both of them looking down at it in horror. She smacked him quickly across the chest repeatedly. If he wouldn't respond to subtle hints of discomfort, she would have to use physical tactics.

What exactly was he supposed to do? Feeling the soft swatting on his chest, he looked to Maka for instructions, oblivious to the recent calling of his name.

"Just unwrap the blankets. I can take it from there," she said the words quickly in fear of losing him to whatever far off land he'd been in again. His eyebrows lifted slightly, relief spreading throughout every muscle in his body. Oh, ... okay. That made a lot more sense. He mentally bitch slapped himself for being an ignoramus and carried her to the counter. He set her down into a sitting position and began peeling back layers of comfortable warmth. She shivered a bit, but the bathroom was warmer than the rest of the house, seeing as it didn't meet an outer wall of the building.

Once he was done, he effortlessly lifted her off of the sink and carefully set her down, making sure she could stand on her own. After helping Bambi take a few steps, the feeling seemed to seep back into her legs.

"You good?" She almost laughed when she saw his hopeful face, seemingly saying, 'Please let me leave. This is extremely awkward.' She settled for a smile and nodded. He left her leaning against the counter as close to the toilet as she could be. After the door had shut, Maka quickly waddled over to the seat, as the urge to pee was overwhelming. She almost ripped off her pants to sit down, sighing as she relieved herself. She was done almost as soon as she sat, but after cleaning herself, she didn't feel like getting up. So, she settled on blankly staring at the far wall.

A knock at the door and a worried "Maka?" told her she had been in there a bit too long.

"Yeah?" she mumbled out.

"You doing okay in there?"

"Yeah."

"It's been quite a while."

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"Okay..."

"Yeah..."

"I'll be back to check on you in a little bit. Let me know if you need anything."

"Yeah." That was apparently the only word she could produce at the moment. Maka returned to zoning out at the wall opposite of her, finding the soft mixture of colours more and more interesting.

She shivered slightly, soon realizing that her pants were still down. Pesky boogers. She then heard another knock at the door. How long had she been sitting there? The numbness of her legs told her it had been too long.

"Maka?" Soul asked once again from the other side of the door. She had been in there for a good twenty-five minutes, just sitting there with her pants down, staring at the wall.

"Coming!" she answered, to which he apparently heard 'Come in' because the door began to open. Luckily, she had already flushed the toilet and pulled her borrowed pants back up before he could enter fully. When she came into his view, she was washing her hands, seemingly struggling with her lower appendages, as she was wobbling to stay upright.

"You okay?" he asked, coming to stand by her as she dried her hands. His left hand came up to the small of her back, rubbing in soothing circles, something Maka found to be one of his recurring habits.

"Yeah." Yup. That was now the number one word in her vocabulary. Soul chuckled as she seemed to melt into his touch.

"Feel good?" he asked. He received a content nod as she opted not to say a word until she could speak properly again.

Maka's eyelids became heavy as she turned and leaned her forehead against Soul's chest, accepting his fingers gently kneading her back. She sighed into his warmth and took pleasure in the soothing rise and fall of his breathing. Maka began to feel herself slowly slip into unconsciousness at the relaxing stance, but soon found flaw in it when she had to sturdy her legs to stay in said position.

Soul swiftly wrapped his arms around her petite form, swooping her up into his embrace, and carried her to his bed. After laying her down and attempting to retract himself to retrieve the many blankets from the bathroom, he found her small, delicate hand clenching the fabric of his shirt. She apparently didn't want him to go too far.

"I'll be right back," Soul whispered as he gently pried her hand from the grey material.

"Mmmm." He stepped away from the bed, keeping his eyes on her. He slowed his movement, just admiring her silhouette from his stand near the doorway until a violent quiver shook her body. He swiftly turned to the bathroom and disappeared through the door, entering again with the pile of blankets. He went about layering them over her one at a time, tucking each in under her, until the shivering decreased. He found himself zoning out at her blushed face as beads of sweat began to form. She tossed and turned and mumbled in her sleep, Soul beside her all the while, wishing he could do more. He watched her fight in her dreams, her face contorting this way and that, hair a tousled mess.

Always the gentleman, Soul forced himself from his tired daze to watch over Maka as properly as he could in his exhaustion. Checking the time on his nightstand, he found he had been watching her for hours since she had used the bathroom. It was now almost midnight and he could feel his hard work slowly creep into every nook and cranny, overtaking his form. He begrudgingly pushed himself from his perch on the side of the bed and entered the bathroom once again. Turning on the lights, he was blinded by his ghostly mirror reflection.

'Well, shit,' he thought, bringing his right hand to run up his face and through his hair. His headband had somehow managed to fall out, leaving his hair in disarray. His face was pale compared to his usual tone, and the red in his eyes was now almost scrutinizing, as the dark bags contrasted. He could put Bloody Mary to shame. He inspected himself for a moment before turning to use the toilet. He took this time to briefly linger on the small woman in his bed. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but he had become almost protective of her; possessive even. He had begun to feel the need to ... serve her. Sure, he was a gentleman, but to this degree? Never. He felt drawn to her, like something inside of him was pulling him to Maka. Kind of like gravity, except not nearly as obnoxious. He found it to be kind of … fulfilling in a way.

He soon was washing his hands and splashing water over his face, feeling his abdomen rumble from the lack of food. He thought back over the day. He hadn't eaten anything. Coffee and water had been the extent of his daily intake. Looking himself in the mirror, he grimaced slightly, shaking his head in self-disappointment. Tsk, tsk. Bad Soul. We've been through this before. There will be none of that.

He pushed himself from the counter and walked quietly to the kitchen, intent on finding a quick fix for the sounds and uncomfortable twists of his stomach. Opening the fridge, he was met with numerous possibilities. He decided to make himself an easy ham sandwich and a banana with a glass of water and be done with it. He ate the food effortlessly, as his midsection rumbled in satisfaction. After his snack, he began to move towards the bedroom, but a thought occurred that maybe he should prepare something healthy and easy for Maka to eat. She'll more than likely be hungry when she finally awakes. Debating a moment, he nodded and turned back around to cook something for his guest. Settling on vegetable soup for the win, he began to peel, slice, and dice as he yawned over and over. He cooked the mouth watering mixture, stirring it to make sure it didn't burn.

After he had finished, he cleaned the mess he had made and let the soup sit to cool a bit before pouring it into a container and placing it in the fridge. Before leaving the marvel that was his kitchen, he got two glasses of water and headed back to his room. Maka lay there, right where he'd left her, sweating and mumbling incoherently. Sighing, he sat the glasses down on coasters and turned off all of the lights. Finally, he was rewarded for his good deeds as he lay down next to the burning bundle. He could finally get some shut eye. Soul rolled to his right, facing Maka, and wrapped his long arms around her toasty form. As he snuggled up to her, he noted she wasn't as hot as she had been earlier. Good sign. He reached down and pulled the thin material of his sheet over himself, not in need of much more, as he knew she would keep him plenty warm. Soul relaxed against his mattress. He was currently very glad about his extravagant bed choice. Cuddling up to Maka's back, he felt as though he was becoming goo against the young lady. Soon after his head hit the pillow, his heavy lids shut, sweeping him off into a land of bliss.

* * *

 **And there you have it! Look forward to the next installment!**

 **PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! I love to read your feedback, even if it's just a word or two. As WitchyGirl99 says, "Feedback is Love."**

 _ **ANNOUNCEMENTS:**_ **Firstly, I am currently working on some Halloween stories for both Soul Eater and Inuyasha! I hope you'll all check them out come Halloween week!**

 **And secondly, I have decided to have something of a contest for you guys! I will have three or so new stories tagged with a "Review Contest" come this next month. It will last until all of the tagged stories are completed. The prizes are for first, second, and third place and the winners get to request a story of me for ANY fandom they so choose. This also includes your choice of storyline, characters, genre, you name it. It will be all up to you if you win!**

 **My reason for doing this is because I want to challenge my ability to write for not only my interests but yours. I am a huge Soul Eater fan and find it extremely easy to write for them, Inuyasha as well has been on my favourites list for a long time. But I would like to expand into other fandoms. I will be putting all of the info on my fanfiction page so that you all know the rules and whatnot. I hope you all will participate!**

 **Much Love!~3**

 **K.T.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here you are, my loves! Sorry, that took so long. I've been super busy with real life problems lol not to mention I've been writing all of my Halloween/ Trinity Contest stories for this month. I hope to upload more by tonight, but I'd have to finish writing the chapters and beta reading them first, so we shall see!**

 **If you haven't heard, I'm hosting a contest in which you in can win a story written for you based completely off of your own preferences/specifications. This also includes any and all fandoms and genres and you can make any request for the story if you win. If interested, check out the details on my user page!**

 **Without further ado, here's chapter eight! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight:** Tease.

Rigid ice pelted down on her small, naked form. She hunched over and brought her knees up to cover her face, being buried in the white death. She looked up, hoping to find someone, anyone, but she was to weather the storm alone. The wind picked up, forcing her hair to tangle and her eyes to quickly shut as she ducked her head back down. She was helpless. What else was there to do but accept defeat and ... She gulped. Death.

When all seemed lost and she felt nothing could be done to fight the cold, she was met with a sudden heat rising up. Suddenly, the snow became hot and began to burn her. She looked up to find herself surrounded by flame and darkness. She held her head and screamed, tears running down her freckled face.

"You're still here," she heard a voice echo and looked up once more, eyes wide. Lava had consumed the fire around her. She jumped up, afraid she'd be swallowed along with the flames, but it didn't make to touch her. It simply put out the wretched burning and flowed past her.

"You're alive, you're breathing, and you're warm, and... I will take care of you..." She heard the last of the statement almost as if it had been whispered into her ear. It was then that she felt a large blanket cover her form and strong, reassuring arms envelope her, making her relax back into a broad chest.

Maka's eyes fluttered open, revealing beautiful biscay. She felt extremely hot, but not in a bad kind of way. It was in that taking a nice bath or sitting outside in a steaming jacuzzi in the middle of winter kind of way. She widened her orbs a smidge in surprise, as she was met face to face with a sleeping Mr. Sullivan. Why did the name seem to ring a bell? She attempted to ponder on it for a brief moment before she saw mephiston red awake. Not being able to avert her eyes, she watched Soul as a vicious yawn overtook his face, slowly turning to check the time and then settling his lazy gaze back on her form.

"Good evening." He murmured, allowing his eyelids to rest once again before they shot open and he moved to rise above her. Both of his arms had been wrapped protectively around her, enabling him to move too far, as his right was tucked under her.

"You're awake!" he stated emphatically. "How are you feeling?" Soul asked, bringing his left hand up to test her temperature.

"Mmm..." She let herself relish in the feel of his large hand, skin meeting skin. "Kind of weak," she replied after he had pulled his hand away, seemingly content with the outcome.

"Mm. That's to be expected." He nodded, laying his head back down, not paying attention to the close proximity. "You were out for two days," he informed her. Maka wanted to jump out of bed and run around the room like a chicken with its head cut off. Two days?! She was most definitely fired…

"Two days?" she whispered. He nodded, moving a stray hair out of her face.

"You woke up in short spurts, needing food and water, ... to use the bathroom, etcetera. I was really worried for awhile. You don't remember any of it?" he asked. Two and a half days since she had fainted and, lucky for her, the angry war of snow and wind had yet to cease. It had taken over New York, forcing everyone to stay indoors. Severe weather alerts broadcasted on the news, letting all inhabitants know of the less than appreciated weather conditions. She hadn't missed much.

Maka tried to think back. She vaguely remembered an incident involving the difficulty of using a bathroom, but nothing else. She slowly shook her head in the negative.

"Well, you're awake now, that's all that matters." He scanned over her features, catching the bags under her eyes despite her non-stop slumber, and the streaks of her tears that had fallen from her eyes in recent nightmares. He could also feel the slight stick of sweat that glazed her skin when he made contact. He had decided not to bath her again, in fear of ... another awkward bathroom incident occurring in the process. "I made some vegetable soup for you. Are you hungry?" She nodded, but snuggled into his chest, actions contradicting herself. She was still tired; drained from all of that battling with germs and what not.

"Later," she mumbled into his sweatshirt. Soul fell limp for a moment before tightening his arms around her.

"M'kay." It didn't take long for them to fall back into a deep, comfortable sleep. Soft breaths intermingling as dreams swept them away. Maka's head resting on Soul's shoulder, fitting perfectly as if ... as if it was made for her. What a silly thought.

* * *

Soul awoke the next morning hugging a pile of pigless blankets. He lifted himself off his pillow and swung his legs over the mattresses' edge. A yawn drew the slightest of tears from his eyes as he scratched the back of his head.

"Maka?" he called out as he stood, to which he was awarded no reply. He turned to look out the ceiling to floor window to find that the storm still ran rampant beyond the glass. She couldn't have gone home. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, turning back and walking to his bathroom. He had intended to take his morning piss; however, when he opened the ajar door further, he was met with a flood of steam. Vision and mind still hazy from sleep, he scrunched his face in confusion and distaste for a moment. _'Huh, that's unusual.'_ He was taken aback briefly until the realization that Maka was bathing set in all too late. So much for avoiding another awkward bathroom encounter because - hey, ho - here they were again. Soul had waltzed into the humid room to stop in front of the large Jacuzzi tub that was full of hot water and bubbles - thank God - a small champagne mop of hair sticking up with the satisfied face of his guest.

Tease.

Wait. _Tease_? He must still be tired.

Was this a bad idea? Probably. Why was he standing there watching her smile in content like an idiot? He hadn't a clue. Was he going to leave? … Apparently not.

There wasn't a perverted thought running through his mind as he looked on at the petite woman in his tub. He registered a slight gasp before the mossy orbs that had found him, and he merely yawned again.

"So, you're feeling better. That's awesome." He nodded with satisfaction, eyes basically closed as the lack of sleep from the past two days weighed heavily on him. Who knew taking care of a small sick person could be so much work.

"I'm gonna go pee." He turned away from her before she could really answer either statement, earning him an odd look as he left.

'Well, that was weird...' She thought. Maka sunk deeper into the abyss of bubbles and bath salts she had found tucked away. Much earlier that morning, Maka had awoken and immediately went on a search for food, finding some form of brothy sustenance to fill her tummy that Soul had made for her. He was so, so very sweet. After she ate, she realized just how utterly disgusting she felt. A few days of sickness sweat layered over her was not exactly a welcomed feeling, so she decided to take a shower. When she entered the bathroom, though, she was reminded of the ginormous tub that Soul had and decided that that would feel much better than a shower. After some digging around for bath salts and bubbles, she ran her bath and relaxed in the hot mess of refreshing scents and warmth. She hadn't expected him to come into the bathroom, nor had she expected that reaction once she had seen him. He had seemed dead to the world and completely desensitized to the fact that she was naked under all those bubbles. That fact that he hadn't been affected by her at all was semi-upsetting.

Soul shut the door behind him and stalked toward the guest bath, a bright red stinging his face. He was no longer sleepy. He hadn't really seen the scene play out before him until he had left the room; his memory giving him a front-row seat to the awkward endeavor. He could have gotten a glimpse of her naked body. Not that he hadn't already seen it, of course, but this was a completely different kind of situation. He wasn't saving her life. There was no need for him to see her bare skin. He locked the guest bathroom door behind him and relieved himself of the bodily fluids that had built up over the night. Flushing the toilet and washing his hands, he stopped to look himself in the mirror. Time for a pep talk.

"Alright," he stated as he stared himself down. "You were tired, discombobulated, couldn't be held accountable for your actions. You didn't even see anything, but you will apologize and it will be forgotten." He held eye contact with his reflection, attempting to convince himself that he shouldn't be playing with any possible lewd thoughts, until he finally nodded and splashed water over his face. He slowly traveled back to his room and splayed across the bed, an arm over his eyes as he tried to forget the embarrassment. His pep talk was for not, guilt building up in his gut. Soul stayed there for a good while, wondering how the earlier incident would affect the atmosphere between them. Soon, he could hear the water draining and turned to lie on his right side, facing away from the bathroom. Maka exited the bathroom and quickly left the room.

* * *

After about another half an hour, the water had begun to cool, so pruney Maka decided to get out. She began to drain the water and dry herself off, wrapping the ginormous towel around her as she stepped out of the bathroom. She realized that she didn't feel as awkward as she thought she would wearing nothing but a towel in front of Soul. A sleeping Soul, but none the less, she felt moderately comfortable. She silently made her way to the laundry room where she had started a load before her bath. She took the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer and hung up her undergarments. Then she proceeded back to Soul's bedroom closet in search of more clothing. She stopped at the doorknob, not sure if she should just rummage through his belongings without permission. She drew her hand away from the door and placed a delicate finger over her lips in contemplation.

"Need more clothes?" Maka was startled out of her stupor by the gruff voice. She whipped around to find Soul staring at her in a cross-legged sitting position on his bed. She hadn't even heard him move. His shirt hung loosely off of him as well as his sweatpants, making him look thinner than she knew him to be. She briefly pondered over the size of his current clothing before she saw a smirk spread across his face.

"Or did you wanna waltz around in that towel?" She gasped as she watched his eyes rake over her form slowly as to emphasize her attire - or lack thereof. The look in his eyes sent a rush of sweet chills down her spine to sit in a heated pool at the bottom of her belly. Sleeping Soul: towel okayed. Awake Soul: more clothing needed. His eyes were truly a force to be reckoned with.

He was somewhat enamored by the look of her in her current state, hair damp as it sat messily atop her head, a large towel hiding everything except for her slight, creamy shoulders and long legs, her hands clutching from within the front in an attempt to hold the material tighter around her body as if it would somehow help her hide herself away. Her eyes were wide in shock as she looked at him, a spark of something he couldn't quite decipher coming to life.

Soul rose from his place on the mattress and strode toward her, stopping right in front of her petite form. His gaze was cast directly into her own, never leaving or wavering, almost challenging in a way. His form drew closer and his arm reached behind her, ever so slightly brushing the bare skin of her upper arm. She averted her anxious orbs downward as she registered the proximity of their faces. Her heart began to race mercilessly and she clasped the towel tighter to her form. Maka waited for something. What, she wasn't sure, but …

*click*

Oh. Stupid Maka. She turned her head to look to the door handle to find Soul's large appendage turning it and slowly opening the closet.

Tease.

It took everything in his power not to make a move on her. She was in a towel, for goodness sake! She had practically invited him to suckle and nip at her neck when she turned her head. It was a golden opportunity, but alas, he was a gentleman who knew how to suppress his * _ahem_ * urges. Instead of doing what his other head so desperately tried to persuade him to do, he opened the closet to set about finding her more clothes. The way he had reached behind her had brought their bodies rather close, closer than they should have been.

"Pardon me," he whispered seductively into her ear. He hadn't meant it to come out sensual, but his body seemed to be fighting against his better judgment. Something about her was calling to him, his inner weapon seemingly being drawn in. This intrigued him to no end, as it was the first time he felt his true self react to one person so adamantly.

She moved quickly out of his way at the realization of his intended destination with a soft apology, her face burning bright red. She watched him retreat into the closet only to be startled by his head popping back out.

"You coming?" he inquired, slight humour lining his voice.

"What? Oh!" Maka stepped forward to help sort through the mass of cloth for something that could possibly fit her in some way, shape, or form. Hugging the large towel to herself, she followed Soul into the huge closet. They started from opposite ends and met in the middle. Maka was holding a pair of sweatpants that had a string in the waistband, Soul a large green hoodie that was too small for him and probably too big for her. He had taken to her in green, he couldn't get over how it made her interestingly coloured eyes pop even more than they already did.

He awkwardly stared down at her as she looked through a cabinet for a t-shirt. She was so oddly beautiful. He found that she had this adorable side to her most of the time, which he was becoming addicted to - it was endearing - and then every once in awhile, he'd find little things that she did, slight movements she would make, to be ever so enticing in an overly sensual way. What blew his mind was that she didn't even seem to realize it herself. She wasn't doing it to lure him in, no. It was always a natural reaction, just like how she had turned her head away from him earlier. He knew it to be an act of mild embarrassment, but the way her neck had been bare, a slight sheen of water from her earlier bath layered over her skin as the muscles and tendons physically stretched at the movement accompanied with the reddening of her milky, honeydew skin … it was sexy. And now she was calm, eyes surveying his clothing, but he saw slight discomfort begin to distort her features.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked, not meeting his piercing gaze.

"Does it bother you?" He didn't make to redirect his ruby reds. Staring at her in a towel seemed to be semi-acceptable next to their earlier encounter. Especially since he was really only taking in her face.

"A little..." she answered honestly. "It's a tad bit unsettling." Her eyes quickly glanced to him and back to the hanging t-shirts.

"My apologies." Okay. If it made her uncomfortable, he would end his awkward studying of the side of her face. He looked away from her towards the door, feeling a little less content.

"Thank you," she was answered with a curt nod as Soul muttered something about going to go get food. He left her to herself as he handed her the hoodie, giving her privacy to change. Maka sighed, pulling on a pair of Soul's athletic spandex, which were the closest things to her size, and then an undershirt and so on. She thought over the events of the day thus far. Soul had seen her in a tub of bubbles, his eyes and body telling her of his sleepiness, resulting in her seeing him as perfectly harmless. Perhaps this had led her to believe that strutting around in nothing but a towel would be somehow acceptable in her situation. Her reasoning had obviously been impaired. And then there was the way Soul had looked her body over, as if he wanted her to keep just the towel on - as if she looked _delicious_ in it. There was the way he had come to stand mockingly close to her and had gotten her hopes up, deceiving her into anticipating something even slightly erotic to occur between the two. Finally, the way he had blatantly stared at her face for the better half of their time in his closet, seemingly enthralled in her features when it should be quite the opposite. What did all of this add up to, really? Was she mindlessly pondering over unimportant matters; instances in which things were felt, but had no real substance to them? It all struck her as odd but shockingly normal ... for them, at least.

She felt as if she were losing herself. Men were not her cup of tea or fortè. She'd much rather read a book with a literal cup of tea in her small studio apartment. Her age-old cat, Blair, in her lap as typical French music softly invaded her enough to appreciate, but not enough to distract. Yet this - this tall, gruff, slightly tanned, and drool-worthy attractive stranger had put all of her favorite things on the absolute bottom of her to do list. And the worst part? She couldn't care in the slightest. It was a comfortably strange and new territory to explore for her.

Maka sighed once more, attempting to convince herself to think of something other than the ruggedly handsome man who had saved her life. This task was apparently too difficult to carry out for too long, however.

Such a tease.

Once she was fully clothed, she stepped out of the closet, turning off the light and putting her towel back into the master bathroom. She sighed in contentment as she now adorned large warm clothing. Catching a whiff of something meaty and probably greasy, Maka made her way to the kitchen. She stepped out into the living room and followed the scent to find Soul standing over a sizzling pan. He was wearing what he had slept in, but his hair was up in a small ponytail and he had added a black and red apron. It suited him.

Soul caught Maka out of the corner of his eye, smirking slightly as he saw her expression. He adored how small and innocent she was and yet she consumed about as much food as he did. He could read her thoughts through expressions and right now, she was practically drooling as she stared at the food.

"Burgers and greens," he stated, making her jump with surprise. "Smells good, huh?"

A nod was her reply as she made her way to the stove to stand next to him. She looked down over the glorious food, making her mouth water. "Looks great, too."

Soul smiled down at her as she gazed longingly at the greasy goodness.

"Yeah, ... but now that I think about it, this probably isn't good for a sick person with an empty stomach, huh?" It came out mockingly with a hint of sarcasm as his hands came up to rest on his hips, feigning serious contemplation. He watched as she vividly froze and slowly turned to look up at him, forcing himself to hide his teasing smirk.

"You wouldn't..." Soul mocked innocence, claiming not to know what she was talking about. He reached to his right, grabbing her attention.

"I'm only concerned for your health," he stated, bringing the sprite and saltines into view. She grimaced at the sight, her face turning into a pout.

"I don't want that ... " Maka turned pleading eyes up to him once more, almost crushing his resolve.

"You'll get a tummy ache if you eat this juicy, greasy, delicious hamburger, Maka." _Rude_. "Small snacks would be better for you right now."

She shook her head in the negative. "I don't care, I want the burger." She purposely made her bottom lip quiver in a desperate attempt to manipulate him into submission. Sneaky. Here he was, attempting to clear the intoxicating sexual tension that had been in the air with the power of _meat_ and she still tries to use her feminine wiles? How inconsiderate.

They stared into each other's eyes, neither backing down until Soul sighed in mock defeat. "Oh, alright. But don't come crying to me if your tummy hurts later."

Maka cheered and they continued to bicker playfully as he finished up their meal, laying out condiments and such. He prepared her a plate, placing it in front of her. "There you go, eat up."

"Thank you! ..." Maka's enthusiasm had been misplaced as her eyes fell upon a plate of crackers and a sprite can.

"You dingleberry!" She grabbed a saltine and threw it at him for emphasis, making him laugh. How cruel could he possibly get...

"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't resist." He turned and placed a steaming burger in front of her, grinning ear to ear. She smiled back at him as he watched her pile on everything from mayo and lettuce to pickles and onions to ketchup and mustard and so on. "Take it easy, smalls, or itty bitty could turn into blueberry umpa lumpa." She giggled as she took a bite, looking up at his retreating back as he went about preparing his own meal. She smiled dumbly, watching the muscles in his back flex through his shirt as he took off the apron.

Tease.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed that! Again, I'm sorry that that took so long. Lots more stories to come, though! Two of six Halloween specials have begun, so make sure to check them out! Please review!**

 **Until we meet again!**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I is back, people! So sorry for the delay, I hope this chapter will sate your thirst for now. I'm already working on the next chapter and my other stories. Life kicked me in the *non-existent, very much fictitious* balls a lot as of late. Anyway! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine:** It's All Fun and Games...

"No! No, no, no, nooo gaaaaaaahhh!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

'YOU LOSE' read across the screen in bold red letters, taunting Soul as he sat back with a defeated sigh.

"Man! Where did you learn to play like that?" At some point during the day, the two had stumbled upon the subject of video games and, somehow, had made their way upstairs to the movie theater. Soul had attached his Xbox up to the big screen and they had been playing all kinds of games ranging from simple Go Kart crap to Fable and such. Needless to say, she had beaten him far too many times for his comfort. His pride was dwindling.

Maka shrugged. "Hanging out with Blake," she answered simply, getting up to go find another game to play in an attempt to hide the victorious smile forming on her lips. Winning was a good friend of hers that left her satisfied.

Soul followed her, watching her as she shuffled through the large box of Xbox games.

"Blake?" he asked.

"My cousin."

"Ah, and I'm guessing with how good you are you spent a lot of time together. Your only friend?" he teased; a desperate attempt to salvage anything left of his pride. Maka simply rolled her eyes as a smirk spread across her face.

"Absolutely not. I have plenty of friends that I play with, but if your gaming skills are anything to go off of, I'd have to guess that you don't," she shot back. Attempt Update: miserable failure. Abort!

Soul chuckled and feigned physical pain as a hand rested over his chest. He had come to realize her words were quite venomous when she wanted them to be.

"Ouch." He smiled as his nose scrunched, his eyes twinkling with delight; a face Maka found meant that he was amused. "Ye woman of few words, I find it utterly incredible the hurtful remarks that leave your lips, yet you somehow manage to continue that innocent facade of yours." Soul shook his head as a smirk quivered to stay at bay.

Maka looked up at him with a benign expression. "Why, whatever do you mean?" she inquired, only making it harder for Soul to hide his delight. Raising an eyebrow, he leaned down slightly to better face her; crimson interrogating shamrock. After a brief moment, Soul playfully glared at her, saying, "I'm onto you."

"Mmmhmm." Maka smirked and looked away first in an attempt to keep from laughing at his facial expression. She skillfully retreated back to her seat after popping the next disk into the console. Slippery booger, she was.

Soul followed after grabbing a snack for both of them, continuing to play to their heart's content. Soft curses were thrown through the air from both parties as they battled to the death.

Soul glanced over at Maka repeatedly every time she'd laugh. This was probably the real reason he hadn't won a match yet, this beautiful beast next to him. He was actually very skilled in the gaming world, but ... he smiled softly in her direction... she didn't need to know that just yet.

"Wanna go swimming?" Maka opened her eyes and looked over at Soul. They had just finished watching the last of the Star Wars movies, the credits still playing softly in the background. His eyes were still glued to the screen as he downed the rest of his soda.

"Seriously?" she asked. How would they swim? She knew he had a pool, but she lacked the proper garments for such an activity.

Soul finally turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah? We need to get some exercise. Why?"

"Well, I don't have a swimsuit," she answered.

"That's no big deal. You can just wear some of my clothes."

"It would be a bit awkward for me if I did that..." she hesitated to explain why, but fortunately, judging by his understanding expression, she didn't have to. Soul seemed to think it over for a moment.

"Maybe my brother's girlfriend left that swimsuit behind?" he pondered aloud.

"What?"

"My brother and his girlfriend visited a few months ago and he bought her this swimsuit as a joke. You see, Blaire is rather..." he paused, opening and closing his fingers as if that would somehow help him to better grasp the right word. "voluptuous," he stated. "To be frank, she's like a G cup, or something outrageous like that, and he thought it'd be funny to buy her something much too small for her..." he explained, the story making Maka begin to giggle. She was already starting to see where this was going.

"He had given it to her saying that it was a present from our mother, which will never happen by the way; mom is not fond of her. So, ... she ended up wearing this ... _thing_ that was only big enough to hide her, uh..."

"Nipples?" Maka laughed out, surprising Soul.

"Yes! Exactly! And when she found out that he had lied, she was furious at him. She took it off and threw her top while we were in the pool! Our parents were there!" Soul sat up as he explained, becoming animated. Maka was now in a fit of laughter, barely able to breathe.

"Who does that?!" Soul was snickering away as well. "Needless to say, my parents were mortified." They continued to laugh for a few moments, commenting back and forth about the hilarity that had ensued.

"But, anyway," Soul chuckled out. "I'm pretty sure she left it in the guest room."

"Well, if it's there and it fits me - and it isn't too stretched out -" she joked, making Soul bark with laughter again. "I wouldn't mind going for a swim. Is the pool heated?"

All of a sudden, this seemed like a bad idea. It hit him brick by brick that Maka was just now getting over her cold and swimming might not be the way to go. That and ... other things.

"... Soul?" she asked, grabbing his attention.

"Oh, yeah, it is. I also have a hot tub, but..." he trailed off as their eyes met. "Maybe it isn't such a good idea with you still being on the sick side?"

Maka smiled at him softly. He was so sweet.

"I'm fine now, but thank you for your concern. As long as it's heated, I should be all good to go!" Soul studied her for a moment only to nod and send that deathly sexy smirk of his her way. Damn him.

"If you say so." He stood and stretched, yawning briefly. "Shall we?"

Maka was somewhat appalled at the condition of the swimsuit - if you could even call it that - that Soul had found hanging in the closet of his guest bedroom. It was very ... exposing and small, even on her. But Soul had also found a sheer swimming gown that Blair had left behind as well, which would aid in making Maka's insecurity relinquish, though only slightly. She looked herself over in the mirror in front of her. It didn't look too bad on her. The swim dress was black and came to about mid-thigh. It had a low v neckline stopping just above her abdomen with laces strung across to keep it from showing too much. It's shoulder straps were about three fingers wide, giving her enough coverage for her to feel a bit more comfortable. The ... swimsuit(?) Was oddly the perfect colour for her. It was a beautiful green, almost like her eyes, but not quite. The bottom had two parallel strings on her hips to keep it together, matching the band below the top's breast cups. The top only had a string behind her neck to keep it up, making Maka even more uneasy. Both breasts had just barely enough material to hide what needed to be hidden and were tight enough to make her bust appear larger than it actually was. She turned to scrutinize her backside then. She was amazed. Her ass actually looked plump. She nodded with a bit of confident satisfaction and turned forward once more.

Maka sighed, this was as good as it was gonna get. She tied her long, golden-ashen locks up into a high ponytail.

*Knock, knock*

"You about ready?" she heard Soul ask through the door.

"Yeah, I'm ready!" She grabbed the towel he had given her and strode to the door, stopping to take a calming breath at the handle. Why was she suddenly so nervous? Shaking her head to rid herself of entertaining any inappropriate thoughts, she opened the door to find Soul leaning up against the adjacent wall wearing black and red swim trunks and a grey t-shirt. His hair was in complete disarray and his scruff was just beginning to come in, giving him an overly handsome and rugged look. With a towel over his left shoulder and his hands in his pockets, his gaze shifted to her, eyes widening slowly. His eyes. Those captivating red eyes. They were like nothing she'd ever seen, full of adventure and unknown; deep pools of wine that she could get drunk on if given the chance. And they were looking at her, wide and openly gazing upon her person.

A low whistle floated through the air as he scanned her up and down, breaking her from the spell that his enchanting orbs had cast upon her.

This. This was why she was nervous. It was his viciously erotic stare as it swept up and down her body, not quite predatory, but definitely invasive. She had never felt so comfortable with being uncomfortable and out of control. She'd usually slap any guy that checked her out so blatantly, but somehow she didn't feel threatened when Soul did it. It felt more like his way of complimenting her; showing her that she looked good - dare she say, appealing - by physically reacting to her while keeping his distance. It was ... refreshing, in a sense. But, then again, she could be wrong. Perhaps he wasn't really checking her out, maybe he was just teasing her again. That made more sense, she supposed, though it left her feeling slightly more vulnerable and disappointed.

"You look good. The colour is almost perfect," he stated. Was that what the low whistle had meant? That he was surprised that the colour matched her eyes so closely?

"Thank you." Maka willed herself from blushing. "As do you. You own a lot of black, red, and grey," she joked. He smirked at her, turning her into goo almost instantly.

"Because it looks good on me," he answered matter-of-factly. He could say that again. Heck, he would probably look smoking hot it almost anything he wore. "But not quite as good as that looks on you." She looked up at him from her fidgeting in slight surprise to find him a little shocked himself.

Had he really just said that? He guessed it was more of the way he said it; the tone he had used to say it rather than the words that made it sound somewhat repulsive to his own ears. 'That wasn't very gallant of me,' he chastised himself. He sounded like some guy hitting on chicks at a club. How distasteful.

Soul stood at attention at that. "I apologize. That was rude of me. I didn't mean for it to come out that way." He felt dumb in that moment as he watched her face overcome with a fierce blush.

"No! Uh, no need to apologize. It didn't seem rude to me, it just caught me off guard," she amended. "No harm done."

A sigh of relief left his lungs, seemingly allowing him to breathe normally once more. 'I guess she took it as more of a compliment. Next time I'll be more gentlemanly.' He nodded and smiled at her. Damn that charming smile of his, it made her knees weak.

"A-anyway!" Dammit, now she was fumbling over her words. "I wanna get in that hot tub!" she stated light-heartedly, making him chuckle.

"As you wish. Right this way, madam." He gestured down the hall to his right and then led her to the staircase.

This was gonna be so. much. Fun… and potentially very awkward.

They climbed up the stairs as they had before, Soul insisting Maka go first, but perhaps there had been a flaw in his judgment. Being a gentleman wasn't all it was cracked up to be. 'Ladies first' should most definitely have exceptions, such as this very moment right here. Soul had neglected to take Maka's revealing attire into account before following her up the steps, looking up to be met with her plump ass teasing him as it swayed it's way up to the next floor.

'Well, shit...' he thought to himself as he pointedly averted his gaze and began his ascent. This was a dangerous situation, indeed. Swimming had been a very, very bad idea. He pondered over whether he should walk in front of her on the next flight but argued that if he did that now after having basically forced her to go first all day, she'd suspect something was up and eventually conclude the inevitable. That he, the valiant Sullivan Eaton Evans, had blatantly been distracted by her backside and decided either that he didn't like what he saw and didn't want to look at it anymore - blasphemy - or that he did indeed like what he saw but thought it best not to indulge - bingo. Nope. He couldn't let her become aware of his sinful thoughts. He would just have to try his best to ignore it. Thank God the next stairwell was wider so they could at least walk side by side.

Maka was feeling... unnerved. She thought it had been awkward before. Ha! This was 100 times worse. Waltzing up the stairs in a swimsuit and a very short swim dress most definitely gave Soul a full view of her ass. She could almost feel his gaze shift to and fro. She had repeatedly wanted to use the towel to hide herself from those piercing eyes of his, but didn't want to make such an obvious attempt at covering herself for the sole purpose of not wanting him to misunderstand. What if he wasn't even looking at her? It would be rather presumptuous of her, and they were almost to the top anyway, so … She strained to keep her movements normal and relaxed as they approached the door, almost opening it herself before Soul's large and masculine hand shot past her. She gasped, surprised at its sudden appearance as she watched it leisurely turn the knob. His appendage slowed as his body came to stand close behind her, yet again carrying out the same routine as before. He placed his left hand on her waist, a bit lower than the last time, as his right unhurriedly opened the door. He again ushered her forward into the darkness that was the third floor as he closed the door behind them.

Maka's breath caught in her throat as she felt Soul's hand slowly travel up her back, draw a few circles on her right shoulder, and then make its way down her arm to take hold of her hand. He reached out and turned on the lights - never taking his eyes off of her - to find a rather red Maka, the sudden brightness making her eyes squint. He smiled down at her only to turn and begin leading her to the next stairwell before she could ask why he had decided to hold her hand. It was a simple hold, completely innocent to the naked eye, but upon further inspection, the blush blossoming over the skin of both parties would prove otherwise. Intentions unknown, but full of wonderful butterflies and mind races, pitter-pattering of hearts and shortness of breath; sweet, new, and sigh-worthy. It was exciting and intoxicating and, so far, worth the risk. Soul continued to smile dumbly as he held her small, delicate hand in his. He liked it, even though he was pretty sure his palm was sweating, he refused to release her.

What was happening? Maka wasn't quite sure. Was Soul even aware of his actions? She wasn't complaining, really, she was just curious if he knew. Did he know that he was currently taking her breath away? Or that he was making her chest tight with joy? Perhaps he could feel the nervousness leaking through her palm's skin, manifesting itself as the unwanted liquid known as sweat. Had he even a clue that her stomach was doing backflips and somersaults or that her face was so hot that if he were to feel it, he'd most likely think her fever had come back? She dared a glance at his tall, broad back. He moved confidently as he led her to their destination. No. He definitely didn't have a clue.

They finally reached the double doors at the end of the hall to the right of the bowling alley. Soul used his free hand to open the door for her and switch on a light.

"Ladies first," he grinned down at her. Thank God his blush had died down before looking at her. It had taken the entire journey down the hall, repeating in his head to calm the fuck down, to get his face to turn its original shade.

Maka nodded and smiled up at him as she went through the door. Their hands bid each other farewell reluctantly as she began to ascend the stairs. She was slow, noticing the width of the steps. He closed the door, quickly caught up with her, and took his place to her right, greedily and sneakily grabbing her hand once more. Maka felt her mouth form a smile as contact was made. They climbed quietly until she decided that she missed his voice, sparking a need to summon it forth.

"So, how big is your pool?" she asked, looking up at him. His eyes lazily drank in her face as a soft grin spread across his devilishly handsome features.

"It slants from 1' to 12' and it's about 50 meters across. I also have two water slides." He wiggled his eyebrows, making her giggle. She was so damn cute.

"That's amazing. What about the Jacuzzi?"

"It's a good size. It's a circle and can sit about 12 or 13 people in it," Soul answered her as they finally came to the door leading to his pool. He opened the door and, of course, let her in first, forcing himself to let go of her hand again.

After closing the door behind him, he turned to find Maka gawking at the unbelievable pool. It was huge. The floor she entered on was a marvelous mural made of many shades of mini blue tile. To her right, she found men and women bathrooms. There were also a few lunch tables and what looked like a Hawaiian hut bar. As her vision steadily trailed left, she took in a corner which, after peering around, she found the massive hot tub, steam rolling from it. The pool came next; a regular sized swimming pool, a few lanes on one side, that had little waterways exiting to several sides. Those led to smaller sized pools, one being a kiddy pool, another to the end of the slides, and on the far left wall, there was a door that she swore read "Sauna."

She slowly turned back to him, a huge smirk on her face.

"Oh, this is gonna be so much fun."

* * *

 **And there it is! I really hope you all take the time to leave a review and let me know your thoughts! It would mean a lot!**

 **Happy Holidays! I hope exams and whatnot have gone or are going well!**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	10. Chapter 10

**So, so sorry for the wait! You may love and hate me for posting this chapter lol**

 **WARNING: There may be some triggers in here for some readers, as there is mention of bullying, but I personally don't think it's all the bad. It's just important for later chapters.**

 **Anywho, without further ado ...**

* * *

 **Chapter Ten:** Cheers

"So, what suits your fancy, itty-bitty?"

"Mmm..." Maka looked from the pool to the slides and then to the Jacuzzi, no longer being phased by the endearing nicknames. "Let's just swim a bit first; I haven't been swimming in ages!" she answered excitedly.

"As you wish," Soul chirped as he turned away from her to take off his shirt. She giggled, appreciating the Princess Bride reference. Maka turned as well, putting down her towel on her chair of choice and decided she'd leave the sheer dress on for now.

"Ready?"

"Yes!~" came her cheerful reply, a closed-eyed smile forming over her features before surprise replaced it. Soul had picked her up and closed the distance between them and the deep end of the pool. Maka was laughing and screaming, aflutter as she pleaded him to put her down before literally being thrown and rapidly submerged in water. Luckily, she had had a chance to take a full breath as she had been flung up into the air. Coming up soon after, she playfully glared up at Soul who was currently laughing his ass off.

Fine. If playing dirty was his game, then so be it.

Maka began to skillfully feign a coughing fit, effectively ceasing Soul's enjoyment to be replaced with worry and growing guilt.

"Are you okay?" he asked hurriedly.

"Ye-eah," she coughed out. "just got some water down the wrong pipe." She began to swim towards the now very much displeased Soul. She could tell he felt like a total ass hat right now and she kind of felt bad, but only for a moment because revenge was sweet. She came up to the edge and stuck out her hand, still faking a cough now and then. He leaned forward and grabbed her hand with his right, preparing to pull her up gently. Maka braced herself against the wall as she held his hand with both of hers. Pulling this giant into the water would be no easy task, she sighed internally. After quickly yanking him with all of her strength, she found that it wasn't exactly difficult. He had let his guard down, the silly, handsome doofus. Once she had pulled him without notice and he lost his balance, that was it. Soul went plummeting into the pool head first with a loud "A-aaa-ahhhh!" and a splash. It was satisfying, to say the least.

Maka began to laugh maniacally as Soul's head resurfaced slowly, only coming up far enough to breath through his nostrils as he glared. His hair, now soaking wet, stuck easily to his head and was long enough for the tips to dangle in the water. She continued to laugh, blissfully stating that 'karma was a bitch' and 'payback was her best friend,' until she noticed that the white mop and ruby reds were closing in on her. She quickly turned around, planning on lifting herself out of the pool, but hadn't made it far when strong, muscular arms wrapped around her middle. They were so long and warm as they pulled her forcefully into a broad chest. She giggled as Soul lightly tickled her and swam back toward the middle of the pool.

"Touchè," ceased her laughing, though, as Soul had placed his mouth over the shell of her ear to whisper his admittance. She was a formidable foe, but he would most definitely take on the challenge. He realized after a moment that he didn't much care for the awkward silence that his somewhat sadistic gesture had brought about. So naturally, tickling her once again and then proceeding to lift and throw her to splash in the water was the only logical choice.

A gleeful "Eeeep!" echoed off of the walls before it was swallowed up by Maka making an impact with the mass of H2O. After coming up as soon as she could to catch her breath, her head whipped toward Soul, accusing eyes conveying betrayal.

Damn, her eyes were piercing. It gave him chills.

"You better watch your back, bud." He could only chuckle huskily at her statement. "Your height allows you a farther fall... which you'll deserve." Maka huffed out. His eyebrows rose in amusement as she began to swim back to him with a pout on her lips. Had she just made a jab at his height while skillfully threatening him? She was certainly dangerous.

It was hot.

No. Bad Soul. Stop that.

Once she made it back to him and playfully shoved his shoulder, he couldn't hold back the laugh anymore. Her hair was a mess. What used to be a ponytail was now some form of swamp creature.

"What are you laughing at?" She smacked him again, secretly wishing he'd never stop.

His laugh, his smile ... they forced her to hold back a swoon. This was dumb. She was acting like some love-struck teenager.

 _Dumb_.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." He grinned at her, completely enthralled by the way her moss interrogated his lava. "Your hair is everywhere," he chuckled. An adorable blush forced it's way across her cheeks as her eyes became wide; hands coming out of the water to touch the mop lightly. Another pout placed over her features at the realization that it was quite disheveled.

"Crap..." was her only spoken acknowledgment as she began to attempt the gruesome process of untangling her tresses from its restraint. After watching her wince a few times and then huff in slight irritation, Soul offered his services.

"Here. Allow me." He reached forward only to be halted abruptly by Maka. Looking down at her, eyes questioning, he found that a small glare had formed.

Looking at him skeptically, she asked, "How do I know that I can trust you?" He laughed again and resumed eye contact.

"I'm not gonna pull your hair out. That's not fair game..." He smirked before finishing with a warning. "and neither is mine." She smiled at that, which pleased him, making his stomach twist in delight; a few butterflies flitting up to his chest to give him goosebumps.

"Okay, just ...-"

"I'll be careful," he assured. Sighing in defeat, she conceded, beginning to turn around until he reached out and grabbed her hair. They were shallow enough for them to stand, bringing Soul to hover over her as he stretched to his full height. His lower chest moved closer to her face, forcing her to bring her hands up in insecure self-consciousness. Her face must be glowing like Rudolph's nose.

She relaxed after a while, feeling Soul carefully pull her hair tie out and release her long tresses. She found herself sighing in content as he began to lightly massage her scalp and run his god-like fingers through her hair. It felt fucking amazing.

"Feel good?" he mused, to which she simply hummed. He had pulled back to study her face. Her eyes were closed now, a blissful smile swept over her lips. She was basically purring and Soul - being the naughty boy that he was - was captivated, unconsciously thinking of other ways he could make her purr.

He was most definitely on Santa's most wanted.

He briefly pondered over how much his bounty would be before he noticed his head had begun to lean in - without his permission.

Rude.

He was his own traitor.

Thankfully, he pulled back enough before Maka opened her eyes, which almost made him lean right back in to take her breath away. Looking up at him innocently, she obviously was unaware of the effects that her exquisite lips had on him, or her mesmerizing shamrock orbs, or her long champagne locks. He could go on and on about the bridge of her nose and the constellations of freckles that swept across her face, or the way her eyelashes were so long that they almost touched her brows. Maybe he could just talk about the way she blinked up at him as she tucked some fallen hair behind her ear. Aahh, her ears. Those cute, small, dainty things on the sides of her head. He wanted to whisper sweet, meaningful everythings into those ears. They were perfect little ears. He realized that his hands were still entangled in the hair of his dreams, golden-ashen and lengthy with just a bit of wave. It pooled around her, floating in the water. He thought back and noticed he had never really played with her hair when it was dry, not that he had any right to, but he made a mental note to ask her permission to later.

"Soul?" And then there was her voice. Oh, God, it was so creamy and smooth. Literally better than Cool Whip.

"Hm?" He slowly continued to massage her scalp. Her head must be perfectly round.

"What-cha doin'?" she giggled at his dazed look. What was going on up there? Maka wasn't sure why, but she felt conflicted. On one hand, the way he was looking at her gave her hope that perhaps he found her attractive and might be interested in maybe slowly progressing to something above friendship. She had already admitted to herself that she was most definitely attracted to him and that she would be more than willing to entertain the thought of a romantic relationship with him. But then there was the other hand, the one that gave her hope. The kind that was always crushed and burned at the stake; the kind that gave her false security and then blew up in her face. She did not like that kind of hope. So, yeah, she needed him to stop looking at her like that. Now.

Shit. Fucking shit. What in the motherfucking world was he doing?! He had been blatantly taken with her, obviously admiring her face. He had to fix this. He had to fix this now.

"Sorry, I thought you had something on your face..." he stated. Maka's eyebrows drew close together in confusion as she lifted a hand to swipe over her features to try and wipe anything away. "but it was just your face." Well, … that was embarrassing. How old was he to use such an outdated and ridiculous phrase? Stupid. He stepped back and began to swim, only looking over his shoulder to find Maka's mouth agape at his rude remark. He had to admit, he wasn't fond of this getaway plan, but it seemed to work for the most part. Except for that pang of deep regret and sorrow that had started to bubble and fester. That part sucked. And the look of complete horror over her face. That kind of sucked, too. Yeah. This was a dumb plan, but redemption was nowhere in sight, so he would have to play this out, he supposed. Dumb. Ass. Plan.

Motherfucker.

"You did not just ..." He started chuckling as she swam after him, cursing as she threatened him repeatedly with a menacing smile laced over her lips, but he managed to keep away from her until they continued their chase out of the water. That was bad idea numero dos. She was absolutely a land animal. One hundred percent. He thought that maybe, with her legs as short as they were, she wouldn't catch him, but damn. She was fast. They carefully ran to the slides, trying their best not to fall, her slowly gaining on him until he began taking two steps at a time once he reached the stairs.

"That's cheating!" she exclaimed.

"Not when there's an angry and scary fast gnome after you, it isn't!"

Oh.

Oh, no.

Gnome?

Sickeningly salty saliva began forming in her mouth, to which she swallowed loudly.

Did he just call her a gnome? She could take all of the other cute 'little' nicknames he had bestowed upon her, but gnome was one she couldn't stomach. She hadn't been called that since high school, and it brought back a shit load of bad memories. She gulped hard again. She hated this fucking flavour.

With her hand over her mouth, Maka stopped and turned around, making her way down the few stairs she had climbed and toward the bathroom.

She didn't feel so good.

"Maka?" It sounded close, so she walked faster, not bothering to turn to look at him because, damn it, she was tearing up. Swallowing was harder when everything wanted to do the exact opposite. She wasn't mad at Soul. It was the name. 'Gnome.' That was what upset her. She couldn't blame him for her past, and she knew that he wasn't aware of it either; of how she had been bullied and had to transfer schools. It sucked. It fucking sucked balls. Hairy, sweaty, wrinkled old man balls.

"Maka!" Tears were streaming down her face now, so there was definitely no turning around. She seemed to make it to the lady's room just in the nick of time before she heard Soul knock at the door.

"Maka? Are you okay? I'm sorry if I did something to hurt or offend you. Are you okay?" He sounded genuinely worried, so Maka decided to acknowledge him with a response. That and she was afraid he might come in and see what was about to unfold.

"I'm fine!" Shivers erupted over her body, bringing with it cold sweats and a pitchfork-like feeling to turn her stomach. "Just need to potty. I'll be out in a few!" Silence. But she held it in, she had to wait until she was sure he wouldn't hear her. This part was never pleasant.

"... Okay. If you're sure... I'll make us some drinks?"

"That sounds wonderful!" She hoped he meant something with alcohol. She swallowed deeply a few times, counting to ten and then skillfully checking to make sure he was nowhere near the door. She peered out, finding him over at the bar, mixing something. She saw him add rum. Good. Alcohol was good.

She closed the door softly and ran back to the toilet, finally allowing all of the contents of her stomach to make its way into the bowl. It was ridiculous the way she let just one word affect her body and mind. It was a trigger word for her. Ever since high school, when they first started to use it to describe her formerly chubby and short self and stuck their fingers down her throat to forcibly make her vomit, she would do just that. Vomit. Puke. Throw-up. Regurgitate. Barf. Whatever you want to call it.

She was humiliated. And now it only took the one word to get what they wanted; for her to become anorexic. How that was a satisfying goal for anyone, she'd never know.

For a short time, she had tried to just fast, to not eat or drink anything, hoping that maybe that would somehow cease the acid reflux. Instead, it just made it worse. Vomiting up nothing but her natural juices and not consuming any healthy substance, or any at all for that matter, led her to become malnourished. Once she was finally discharged from the hospital, refusing food until a few weeks prior, she had lost over eighty pounds. She transferred to another school and cut off everyone from the last. Not a soul knew who she had been, and everyone who had couldn't recognize her anymore even if they tried.

It was sad, really. She had had one or two really good friends, but she had let depression and negativity consume her; allowed herself to see what they saw: a short, fat, ugly girl who everyone hated. And after several years, she was still a victim to it all.

After the queasy feeling had subdued, she flushed the toilet and took her time to stand and make her way over to the sink to wash out her mouth. This was her second least favourite taste: partially digested food and stomach acid. Yummy.

She looked herself over in the mirror. Other than being slightly pale, she looked decent. Hopefully, Soul would just hand her the much-needed alcohol and they could get tipsy. Yeah. Maybe even completely wasted. Sounded good.

She turned from the mirror and made her way out to the bar. Soul stood leaning back up against the counter, waiting for her with worried eyes.

"You okay? It sounded like you were ... uh, throwing up?"

Shiiiit. That's just great.

"Oh, ..." She couldn't avoid it now. She tasted salt begin to fill her mouth again in that unpleasant way that it did, warning her of what might come.

"Yeah," she finally answered as she tried to decide whether or not to run back and prepare to throw up again. "I was."

"Are you feeling alright?" He could see goosebumps rise over her skin. She was probably cold.

"I'm okay ... it's just um ... " She should tell him. What if he calls her that again? He would soon realize it was a trigger word for her, might as well get it over with.

"We did eat a lot of crap today, but I didn't think you'd throw up so easily. Was it something I did? Are you still sick?" He looked so guilty. It made her gut churn as his eyes scanned over her, obviously worried. She had to tell him, but she felt that some part of him would blame himself even more, even though it was most definitely not his fault.

"No. It wasn't you and I'm not sick ... It was just a ... trigger ... " He was confused now, his eyebrows knitting together. She swallowed again, but the salty taste seemed to have dissipated for now. "Gnome, that is." and the salt was back. It felt even worse coming out of her own mouth. Soul, though, still didn't seem to understand until sudden realization swept over his features, which took her aback.

"No way ... " He pushed himself from the counter, coming to stand close to her. His gaze bore into her, full of sorrow for her. How did he seem to understand? She hadn't explained anything yet. "You weren't once known as 'Makayla Albain,' were you?"

Her eyes widened. How did he know that name? She hadn't been called that since she was in the hospital and she had changed her name when she transferred, so how ...

He sighed, the look on her face giving him his answer. "I've heard about you. I know Kiddrick Death." He knew ... Kidd? She became teary-eyed at that. He had been one of her only friends, he had stood up for her throughout it all, and she regretted never keeping in touch with him.

"You know Kidd?" she found herself asking.

"Yeah., uh, he and I met in college, we're still kinda close … I can't believe you're her." Soul unconsciously stepped back. Kidd had been in love with her back then. Knowing this left Soul unnerved.

"You still talk to him?" She was hopeful, getting back in touch with him would mean a lot to her.

"Often," Soul nodded and awkwardly turned to grab their drinks. Seemed they would both be needing them.

* * *

Maka had cried already and Soul had consoled her with a hug and a few gentle encouragements, mostly just letting her cry. Luckily, she didn't have to explain anything except that the trigger word was indeed 'gnome'. He promptly apologized and promised to never use the word again. The subject was decidedly dropped after that.

They had then grabbed a bottle of rum and made their way to the hot tub because, why wouldn't they? And now, after quite some time, they were beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, thank God. What had happened was most certainly a travesty, but they were both content with not talking about it. Ever again.

"So." Soul looked to Maka as she attempted to start up a light-hearted conversation. He smirked lightly at her, enjoying her nervous fidgeting for a moment.

"Cheers, to the young, accomplished, and beautiful Maka Albarn." Soul raised his glass to her, waiting for Maka to do the same. She was slightly surprised but smiled gently, touched by his statement.

"And cheers to you, as well. The gallant and brilliant … Soul." She said as she mimicked him, clunking their glasses together before they both downed the hard liquor. Laughing as she began to feel as though she were floating in the air, Maka poured herself and her companion another drink. Who had ever said that chocolate was a girl's best friend?

* * *

 **So, there it is. I do apologize that that took so long. I'll try to get the next chapter out much, much faster.**

 **Missed you all! More updates to come!**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hehehehehehehehe, it's been so long, y'all thought I would keep you waiting for at least a month, right? WRONG! This is my 'I'm sorry I've been away for so long' gift. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven:** Dangerous Territory

"WAHAHAHAHA! Soul! Watch this!" Maka squealed in pure delight as she ran and belly-flopped into the pool. Yes, she was currently drunk off her ass and yes, she was acting like a childish heathen.

Throwing back alcohol while near large masses of water had been a big mistake. They had been drinking for about an hour, Soul had sipped at his few drinks while Maka had pretty much gulped each of hers down. He had diligently and skillfully cut her off after two or three shots, half a beer, and a small Roman Coke, to which she booed him for and proceeded to make his task more difficult by continuously jumping into the pool. At first, he had thought it endearing, but after the fifth time of having to dive in to save the lightweight from drowning, it was beginning to become a hassle. She was the emotional, childish drunk that liked to cause trouble and he didn't know how he felt about it. He imagined this was how she had been as an adolescent, smirking at the thought of a small, mischievous Maka running about.

Soul sighed as he leisurely hopped in after her before she had even resurfaced. Grabbing her by the ankle, he pulled her to him and lifted her head above water.

"Hey, Soul! Look! I'm a puffer fish!" He couldn't help the lazy grin from forming as he watched her body sink, keeping her red face afloat with the air puffing out her cheeks. Fuck it. No matter how much of a nuisance she was becoming in her intoxicated state, she was still as cute as hell.

"Come on, puffy," Soul placed his hands on either side of her face, thumbs gently drawing circles on her cheeks before pressing inward to deflate her adorable self. "It's not safe in the pool." He had been trying to convince her that the pool was _not_ fun and that they should go take showers and watch a movie, but _no_. Wasted Maka refused. She wanted to _swim_ , she wanted to go down the _slides_ , she wanted to repeatedly splash him in the face, making water go up his nose. She had laughed gleefully at that, adamantly stating that it 'was _too_ fun' ... fun for her ... not for him.

"But Soul~!" she whined. "We haven't even gone down the sli~des! Just once or twice? Pretty please with whipped cream and a cherry on top?"

Crap. He was weak to her pleas.

He grimaced for a second, thinking it over as he still held the petulant drunk's head within his grasp. There were a few options to choose from, none of which came with compelling outcomes. He could say no and she could fuss as he carried her crying all the way back to his living space. He could let her go down the slide alone as he awaited her at the bottom. Lastly, he could go on with her to ensure her safety all the way down. He had a feeling that the first option would surely result in a massive headache for both of them, so he immediately scratched that off of the list. The second was doable but also left this reckless Maka in danger of falling or bumping her head while climbing up the stairs and riding the slide alone. This only left the third option, which would be the funniest and safest bet, but also the least gentlemanly.

"Pweeeaaazzzzeee?" Great. Now she was talking like an actual small child with that heart-wrenching pout and those puppy dog eyes of hers. How could he resist that?

"Alright..." he sighed out.

He couldn't, apparently.

"Yaaayyy! My Soul is the best!" She jumped up out of the water, latching herself around his neck in a swift cuddle before swimming with him to the ladder closest to the slides. It had made his heart race momentarily, hearing her call him 'My Soul,' but she probably wouldn't remember it, so of course he wouldn't either to save her the embarrassment. Soul carefully helped her out, holding her hand to keep her from running and falling in her excitement. They climbed the stairs slowly, making it to the top unharmed. Yay for the small achievements. Soul sat himself down in the water and spread his legs for Maka to sit in between them only to turn and find her sitting in the water for the other slide.

"... heh, uh, Maka...?"

"RACE YA!" And with that, she pushed herself down the slide. Crap. Double crap. Stupid whipped cream and cherries and _crap_. Quickly snapping out of his shock, he followed her lead and went flying down the slide. She had gone down the tube slide, while he went down the open-topped; depending on if she hit her head on the way down, it might have worked in his favour. Once he made it to the bottom, his head whipped up out of the water and towards where she would have come out. His eyes scanned the small flow as he held his breath. Then, Maka exited the end of the slide, splashing into the H2O with a gleeful 'Eep!'

Soul watched the current as it gushed and swirled, waiting for any sign of life. He held his breath, thinking that Maka had been under too long. He lurched himself up onto the tiled floor and dove into the small pool. He quickly found and grabbed her, swimming them hurriedly over to the side. He lifted her up out of the water and followed soon after, immediately putting his CPR training to good use. He began to count with every push at her chest; with every puff of air he forced into her mouth; with every time he checked her pulse and breathing. He continued pumping her heart as he prayed for it to work. Finally, water came forth from her lungs as she choked slightly and began to breathe again.

* _splash_ *

Maka's head emerged from the water, bringing Soul back from his intense daydream. Giggling, she swam over to the thin walkway that separated them as she reached out to him. He slowly made his way over to meet her, outstretching his own appendage to grasp hers. Why his mind had decided to run rampant and make up some disastrous outcome out of what should be a fun time, Soul couldn't fathom. He felt his heart skip back to life as their skin met, her warmth and pulse affirming, thankfully, reality.

"That was fun! Who won?!"

"I did," he replied, dazed as he recalled envisioning her turning a cold shade of blue as he attempted to bring forth the water in her lungs. He grazed his thumb over her fingers while leaning his body against the edge, her smile slowly thawing his slight discomfort.

"Awww! Cheater!" she accused, grabbing the wrist of the hand that covered hers heatedly.

"Who? Me?" He pointed at himself with said hand. "You're the one who cheated, leaving me without a 'ready, set, go!'" he chided. There it was. The humorous and harmless bickering, even when Maka was still slightly drunk, was calming. It felt right.

She responded with a playful glare and a low "Boooo, party pooper...," as a smirk wormed its way across his face.

"Am not," he sulked mockingly.

"Let's go again, then!" She let go of his wrist to move toward the small ladder and climbed out of the small natatorium, leaving his hand feeling too empty for his liking. Soul pulled himself out of his side of the pool, following her.

"Oh, no you don't! If you wanna go again, we have to go down the same slide at the same time! Together." Send him to Hell if he were to let his imaginations vivid make-believe become a horrid actuality.

"Okay! Let's go~!" she answered without a second thought. She grabbed hold of his wrist once again and they began to make their way up the stairs. Soul made sure to keep hold of her hand so she wouldn't pull another surprise race on him as he sat down in the water. He spread his legs and guided her to sit in between them.

"We'll go a lot faster this way!" She stated excitedly, grabbing Soul's arms and wrapping them around herself. A slight blush tickled his ears as he tried to settle in a way that wouldn't end in catastrophe. Deciding that holding her tight to him was the best bet - unless he were to add the rate of his heart into the equation - he pulled her in close. Being the only one slightly embarrassed in their current situation was somehow even more abashing. Soul became very aware of the bare skin that touched and how his chin, seemingly nonchalant, rested over her shoulder as she settled back into his chest; how utterly inerrant it was for her to be in his arms. He took a deep breath as they laid back, preparing to take off down the slide, in an attempt to settle his nerves.

"Ready?" he asked her.

"Always!" He smiled at her reply, greedily snuggling her before pushing them to go rushing down with a heavy current. They laughed and yelped all the way down, not given the chance to notice the almost erotic way they clung together. They held each other tight until submerged in water, ending their journey. Soul and Maka came up out of the water almost simultaneously, gasping for air. She coughed a few times in between laughs as Soul tried to get the water out of his nose. Scarlett met basil as they reached the edge once more, the silence going unnoticed as they became absorbed in each other. A blink later had Soul blushing madly as he turned away and lifted himself out of the pool, leaving an alcohol tipped Maka to watch after him.

Was it just her or was he extremely muscular?

He leaned down and helped her out of the pool, steadying her as she began to feel gravity trying to coax her to the ground a bit more adamantly than usual. She grabbed hold of his upper arms as well when she stumbled forward, giving her an accurate estimate of the mass of his biceps.

 _It wasn't just her._

Soul felt Maka begin to shiver under his touch.

"Are you cold? Wanna warm up in the hot tub?" After an aggressive nod of agreement followed by a moment of discombobulation and a shy smile of excitement, he led her by the hand to the Jacuzzi. Then he slowly aided her in sitting on one of the higher steps in the comfortably steaming water. He sat down next to her, using himself and the metal handlebar to keep her from falling in and drowning. They sat in comfortable silence next to one another, enjoying the soothing warmth heating up their bodies. Maka quietly studied the side of Soul's face, mesmerized by how ... gorgeous he was. His sharp jaw clenched as she could almost see the wheels turning in his head, the look of immersion on his face giving him a rather regal demeanor. His eyes of lovely blood stared ahead, focused on something not physically seen or on nothing at all. His hair was damp as it clung to his lightly tanned skin here and there, and sweat from the heated pool began to emerge from his pores in a light sheen. She was simply taken with him. And by 'simply', one would correct to 'completely'.

Maka strolled over his face once more, landing on his lips. He must have felt her eyes on him, as his head turned slightly toward her. She didn't meet his questioning pools of ruby right away, for her attention was still directed toward his growing smirk.

"Like what you see?" He had meant it as a joke, but was quite taken aback when her answer was but a strong affirmative nod and the slow invasion of personal space. All he could do in his state of surprise was to watch as Maka seemed to inch her way toward him, her intentions apparent. As she closed in, he found himself admiring her; long wet tresses slicked back, giving him full view of her facial features. Her eyes caught his immediate attention and captivated him on the spot. Soul instinctively began to lean in as well, but reason was a formidable foe, hitting him over the head mercilessly. With their foreheads becoming acquainted, Soul looked down to keep their lips from meeting. His hands came up to grasp both of her shoulders, pushing her from her advance. Soul let out a shaky breath as he tried to steel himself, though his view was now directed in the direction of her body, curves, and skin mostly on display, driving him up the wall. Closing his eyes was the only option.

"Maka, I can't do this in good conscience while you're not sober. I would be taking advantage of you..." He let go of her, his arms returning to his sides. As he began his regretful retreat, Maka's hands swiftly reached up and behind his neck, pulling in a way that had their lips meeting brutally. His eyes widened at the sensation erupting throughout his being. They sat like this for a minute or so, both still, one in shock and the other enjoying her kill. It was exhilarating. Soul's heart had never beat so furiously yet felt so calm at the same time. It was like everything fell into place. He had never known such a blazing comfort.

Finally, she pulled away, though hesitantly. Waitrose greeted merlot, sparks igniting and flying as breaths that were held, unknown to their captors, released between the two. Staring at each other could never get old. Maka sighed, a smile forming over her lips, seemingly content.

"They don't call it liquid courage for nothing," she informed him, earning herself a chuckle as they leaned back in for one more kiss. Soul inwardly decided that he should still do all in his power to respect this winsome creature. What should have been a mix of heated passion and innocent butterflies carried out in a fiery swap of spit became a swift peck.

Maka pouted, obviously upset with the all too ingenuous outcome, but even in this moment, her eyes became heavy. Seemed Princess Pea-wee was getting tired. What timing. He smiled softly as he held her by the small of her back, watching her begin to doze off grumpily.

"Come on, Little Missy, time to take a shower and dry up." He began to draw circles on the back of her soft, small hand, almost lulling her to la la land.

"Mmmm ... " Maka blinked at him, eyelids nearly failing at her attempt to stay awake.

Soul helped her up and out and over to where they had left their things. They both dried off and got into the elevator to get back to his apartment level, making Maka ponder momentarily why they had taken the stairs in the first place. She watched Soul enter first, his broad shoulders still on display as he held his shirt and towel in his right hand. She gulped as her eyes glazed over for an entirely different reason. Apparently, when coming down from her drunken state, she became lustful; her little demon whispering in her ear, urging her to do naughty things that sober Maka could never possibly do. Biting her lip, she entered behind him, her heart racing as she lightly gnawed on her lip in silent contemplation. Could she? Should she? As the metal doors closed, Soul pressed the button for his main floor and pulled his shirt down over his head, unaware of Maka's gaze admiring that of his abdominal muscles rippling at the action. After he adjusted his shirt and picked his towel back up, he turned to her, smirking in that overly handsome way that he did. Aw, hell. Screw reason or contemplation. Maka all but attacked him, deciding not to think too hard on it; this could be her one and only chance to be spontaneous. She lurched forward, surprising Soul once again as she pressed him up against the wall, and took advantage of the moment. Raising herself as high as she could on her tiptoes, she looped her arms around his neck and yanked, forcing him to stumble forward a tad. She pressed her lips to his once more, this time passionately and skillfully, making him weak in the knees.

Soul staggered back into the harsh metal wall, his body fighting his reason as he was overtaken by a woman less than three-fourths his size. This kiss was much more captivating than the last. It confirmed what he had been feeling for her the past few days, what he both feared and longed for.

Soon the elevator 'dinged,' grabbing their attention; Maka only pausing briefly before continuing her assault on the man she now had stuck under her as she straddled him. Seemed his long lanky legs really couldn't take it, for he had crumbled to the floor and she had followed right after him in a hot, steamy pursuit. She began to kiss down his jaw, and as soon as Soul felt her moist, swollen lips press against his neck, making his member twitch in excitement, he snapped back to reality. He couldn't let it happen this way. She meant too much to him, and that scared him shitless. Soul's hands came up and grabbed Maka by her upper arms, forcing her away from him. He looked straight into her darkened olive orbs, noticing how dilated her pupils were, and it physically pained him to see slight disappointment mixed in with her obvious arousal. He took a slow, deep breath as he thought of words to say, anything at all that would explain his reluctance, but there were none. His eyes bore into her with authority, getting his point across clearly. She knew this wasn't the time nor the place and that she was putting him on the spot, but she wanted him. She was afraid that if she were sober, he wouldn't understand what she had been feeling over the past few days, that she would be too reserved to tell him. No … she knew that she would have never told him otherwise, but now she was wishing she hadn't.

Her hands were still grasping his shirt tightly, unwilling to let go as he attempted to push her further away. During their standstill, the elevator doors had opened and closed.

"Maka, please..." with that and his pained expression, she released her hold and sat back from him. She slowly stood and reached for the open button. Another 'ding' sounded as she was given freedom from bad decisions and drunken mistakes. Stepping out, she glanced back to the hunched figure, still sitting on the expensive red carpet of the metal trap.

"I'm going to go shower..." she muttered, her arms wrapping around herself as a feeling of insecurity took over her. Before she could be caught by his mesmerizing chili gaze, she turned and strode down the hall. Quickening her pace, she made her way through the dining room and out to the living room area, turning right to his bedroom. She entered his bathroom, locking the door behind her and made a beeline for the shower. She turned it on and stepped in, washing herself quickly and then drying off even quicker. Having smartly placed a pair of clothes in the restroom earlier, she clothed herself and brushed her teeth, completely on autopilot. She exited back into the bedroom, towel over her shoulders, and crawled sluggishly into the ginormous bed. As she laid her head on the plush pillow, she repeatedly told herself not to cry. There was no reason to cry a second time that day, ... but her body seemed to betray her every time, a tear gliding sideways down her face. Maka cried herself to sleep that night, not wanting to face the morrow. She would never touch alcohol again; it was dangerous territory.

* * *

 **What can I say? ...**

 **You're welcome? lol jk love you guys! I hope you all feed me, I'm hungry for validation lol**

 **(Because I usually try my best to reply to all of my reviews, I wanted to start replying to guests as well!)**

 **GuestNumeroUno: I'm so sorry my story made you sick! I know having such content isn't pleasant, but I hope that you enjoyed the rest of chapter 10 and now 11! Thank you for reading and leaving me a review!**

 **GuestIBeon: I'm so sorry I kept you waiting so long! I'll try to update all of my stories as often as I am able! It's been a rough start to 2018, but I'm back! Don't worry, I promise not to leave anything unfinished, even if it takes me awhile to update! Thank you for the amazing compliment, my love! And for your continuous support!**

 **Th-** **th-th-** **that's a-all folks!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Heyo~! So, I waited a bit to finish this chapter in hopes that I wouldn't distract any of you students from your finals or last projects or whatever you have left, but if I don't post it now, I might forget to do it later, as I will be getting extremely busy the next few weeks. So, here! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve:** Crazy

He hated himself - complete and utter loathing. He paced his living room floor back and forth after having taken a freezing, ice cold, North Pole worthy shower. He had chosen to use his guest bathroom, not knowing how to face Maka at the moment. A part of him had to applaud the self-control it had taken him to push her away, but really, he hadn't wanted to. He had, though, and he couldn't take it back. He was only proud of himself because he didn't want this to bloom from lust, becoming merely a physical affair before they could really get to know each other. He hoped and prayed to God that she knew that, that she respected and maybe even thanked him for it tomorrow. Who was he kidding? He had seen '10 Things I Hate About You' and he knew she would be upset from embarrassment and most likely wouldn't forgive him until he decided to make a complete fool of himself in the name of love. Though, how fun would it be to disobey the law and evade police officers while singing "I Love You, Baby" over the stadium monitors? He had never been presented the opportunity and it seemed thrilling. Soul only hoped that Maka would fall madly in love with him by the end of their rom-com. He absentmindedly envisioned himself going after Maka like Heath had Julia. He smiled, he could totally see himself doing that.

Soul stood in the middle of his living room, contemplating how to apologize and explain to her his reasoning without making it seem like her fault. Because it wasn't her fault, he didn't blame her in the least. He blamed alcohol, he blamed himself, and he blamed the damned beautiful connection between them. But mostly alcohol. Liquid courage should be banished for all eternity... well, perhaps not. He could sure use some right about now.

For a moment, Soul let himself reminisce over the kiss ... kisses. Plural. She had kissed him _twice_. _She_ had kissed _him_. _**Twice.**_ He smiled at the thought. He closed his eyes as he recounted her small form basically tackling him to the ground to plant one on him. She had been oh, so feisty and aggressive for such a small person. Soul quickly opened his eyes in an attempt to focus on anything else but the sensual happenings between himself and a certain enthralling creature; one whose hair resembled sunlit honey, and eyes held the most brilliant green in captivity; whose face a canvas for mere beauty and a smile so sweet and gentle it reminded him of twilight and Calla lilies. Winsome seemed a wonderful word to describe that which he longed for. Look what she **did** to him; he was becoming a romantic sap, and the weirdest part? He didn't even care. He actually felt good about it, possibly even stronger because of it. Surrendering himself to a pure vision of Maka - perfection and bliss - Soul's heated imaginings became nothing but pictures of her from his memory. He saw her smile and her fiery gaze as it pierced right through him; he heard her angelic laugh and lighthearted screams as she crushed him at every video game known to man; he recalled the food she had made for him and how completely cuss-worthy it was. His features lit up, steeling his resolve to make her his. As a belonging? Certainly not. They simply belonged together.

That night, Soul went to bed in the living room with determination set for the next day. He was going to make things right.

Maka awoke that morning, swollen eyelids squinting from the bright light spilling in through the large window, making her head pound mercilessly. Grumbling, she turned away from the penetrating rays only to blink a few times in realization. She took a few moments to wake up, her brows meeting in discomfort. Maka slowly got out of bed and went to the washroom, using the loo and washing her hands and face in hopes that the cool water would aid in the uncomfortable puff of her eyelids. Once she thought herself awake enough to brave the brightness, she entered back into the bedroom, finding her earlier realization was firmly reality. Though snowflakes still fell from above, the storm had passed for the most part.

Maka made her way to the window, looking down to the streets of the city which now sported a few people bundled here and there as they scurried about. This only meant one thing: it was time for her to go home. She sighed and glanced at the bed, not finding who she was looking for. She did, however, find two ibuprofen and a tall glass of water on the nightstand. She took them gingerly, hoping they would kick in quickly to nurse her determined headache. Returning to her earlier confusion of a Soulless bed, Maka checked the closet while changing into her own clothes and gathering her belongings. She begrudgingly prepared herself to go home as she searched for Soul. Exiting the bedroom into the living room, she came across an empty bundle of blankets and pillows laying on the couch. Soul hadn't slept with her. Even more confused, she went on a search for him, checking every room on the second floor. She doubted he'd be downstairs, as she knew that he didn't much care for the ballroom, so she made her way upstairs. During her search, she began to ponder over the morning. Why had she woken with swollen eyes? And why had Soul slept on the couch? Did something happen that she couldn't remember? Well, obviously, but what was it? Maka stopped as she reached the second floor, finding the lights on. She stood for a moment as she attempted to recollect the night before. The last thing she could recall was drinking alcohol with Soul after having a rather emotional endeavor about her high school days and getting in the Jacuzzi. She shook her head at herself, she must've been crazy to drink so much that she blacked out, unable to remember anything. She could only hope that she hadn't done anything too embarrassing.

Maka was torn from her worrying with a sudden crash of piano keys in a swarm of ebony and ivory, wickedly enchanting. It scared her at first, making her heart stop only to be put into overdrive, but it began to draw her in unconsciously. She took slow steps toward an eerie concoction of a dramatic clashing of notes and sweet, butterfly-like flicks of the keys. She walked down the hall to a door left slightly ajar. Peering in, she found Soul at a large, dark wooden grand piano. His face was so serene, with intense calm and poise before he smirked evilly, striking his hands to scatter across the keys, swift with urgency. She couldn't get herself to move, she was shocked still in her place. Shivers erupted through her at the beauty of the sinful way he played, it was like nothing she had ever heard before. She felt tears begin to pull at her eye ducts, surfacing and spilling from their confines, but she didn't care. She had never seen him this way during the past few days they had spent together, his passion for the art coming to life in his eyes. It captivated her.

Soul hadn't noticed her until he heard a sniffle from behind his left shoulder. He immediately paused, his hands floating above the keys in mid cascade but never allowing them to fulfill the trembling dissent. He turned slightly and glanced her way. What he found shocked him to the core and had his irrationally irritated gaze widen. She stood there at the door, peering in with tears rolling down her face, pouring from her eyes. She had her hands over her mouth in an attempt to keep herself quiet, most likely, but he couldn't be sure. He found what he thought to be awe in her mossy orbs, and why she was crying he hadn't a clue. He turned fully around on his bench, leaning forward and throwing on a smirk as he gestured for her to come in. It took her a moment before she slowly entered the room, only allowing a few steps, tears still running rampant.

"You can come in closer," he chuckled. She looked as though she was scared she might ruin the piano by merely breathing near it. "Are you okay?" She shook her head and concern contorted his features. He stood and walked to her carefully, allowing a hand to gently rub her back in an attempt to comfort. "What's wrong?" And then it hit him, hard, like bricks, like a damn brick wall. Was she crying because of what had happened last night? Shit. What was he supposed to do in this situation? Should he even be touching her right now?

"... so beautiful," she mumbled, wiping tears from her face only for them to be replaced by new streams of wet. "It was so beautiful."

"What?"

"The song, piano, or whatever. _You_ were incredible. It was so full of emotion and-and…" He couldn't have felt more revered, he couldn't remember the last time he had moved someone to tears this badly … in a positive light. His mother had cried a heap when he had chosen to major in Jazz and then again when he decided to start his own company instead of working under his brother at the family's business, but this was much different. This was a pleasant first.

"You liked it that much?"

"Liked? I _loved_ it. It was so … so …"

"So?" Soul waited patiently as Maka searched for the right word. He could tell by the look on her face that only this one word would do. She began to wave her arms around as she was at a loss. She sighed, enacting more tears to spill and drip from her long lashes. "Ssshhhh. It's okay." He pulled her into an embrace, holding her closely and firmly. She was so precious, and though she was spunky, smart, and strong-willed, even she had the right to break down on occasion. She had been through so much the past few days, from worrying about getting fired from her job to the point of almost losing her life in a snowstorm, to having to spend the week with a creepy looking, mysterious rich guy who just happened to save her. It was all just … a lot.

She cried for a while longer, not because his piano playing had moved her to this many tears, but because its sound had defined so well the melancholy feeling that had blossomed upon realizing she needed to go home. She had attached herself to Soul so fervently without even noticing. There was a connection there, one that she knew she couldn't find anywhere else, one that she had never felt before.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, his arms still wrapped around her tenderly. "I made us some hangover soup. Do you want some?"

"Yes, please," came her muffled reply. She made no move to let go of him, however; her head remained buried in his chest, hands still grasping the back of his shirt. They stood there for a moment more before Soul moves first, releasing her slightly to rub up and down her back.

"Come on, let's go eat." Soul's hands glided up her back gently, making their way from her shoulders and down her arms to grasp her hands. She allowed him to guide her out into the hall and toward the stairwell as she held him firmly, their fingers laced as she buried her face in the skin of his upper arm. The silence was comfortable as they made their way down the stairs and to the kitchen, Soul grabbing a box of kleenex as they passed through the living room.

"Do you need some tissues?"

"Thank you." Maka finally let go of him as she reached for the box to empty the contents of her nose. She watched him from her stand by the trash can as he went about heating up the soup he had prepared for her late the night before. She couldn't pull her eyes away from him; she followed him as he poured the soup into two bowls, set on just warming them up in the microwave. He moved with such grace that she felt inadequate. It was a feeling she was used to, but … unlike in any other situation, she felt complete being near him, like she had been missing him her whole life and didn't know it until now. She found herself studying his slender hands as they moved, her stare making its way up his forearm where his veins protruded. His muscles flexed as he lifted the bowls, his elbow catching her attention only for her to drag her gaze up his tricep and to his broad shoulder, getting stuck on his collarbone as he turned around; his shirt hung off of him, loose around his neck as he leaned back against the counter. She saw the muscles in his neck stretch as he tilted his head from side to side, a hand coming up to cover his mouth as he yawned. The sound of the microwave going off startled her out of her daze, making her avert her eyes. She blinked a few times, attempting to keep herself from staring at Soul again. She was coming to the conclusion that he was ferociously attractive; dangerous territory.

Soul yawned again as he placed the second bowl into the microwave and set the timer. He hadn't slept a wink if he was being honest; his mind was filled with thoughts of her, of her kissing him, of her grief over having been pushed away, and now of her crying face as her eyes bore into his very being. He didn't know what to do with himself. Should he tell her what had happened last night? It seemed as though she couldn't remember anything and he didn't want to embarrass her in any way. He felt like she had the right to know, but … he didn't want to ruin their last moments together. The weather was clear enough for her to safely make her way home.

The microwave beeped once more, signaling that the next bowl of his special hangover soup was ready. He shook his head as he carefully grabbed both steaming containers to carry them over to the island where Maka sat absentmindedly cradling her box of Kleenex.

"Here you are, my lady." Soul sat next to her, their legs grazing each other as he did so.

"Thank you, kind sir."

"You don't seem to be in too much pain. Did you take the Ibuprofen I laid out for you?"

"I did, that's probably why I'm doing as well as I am right now. It was so difficult opening my eyes with it being as bright … as it is outside ..." Maka quickly shoved a spoonful of hot broth into her big, fat mouth. She had purposefully been trying to avoid the subject of the weather. The conversation ended subtly and a bit awkwardly as they both began eating in silence. Maka would glance at Soul while he wasn't looking and he would do the same, neither of them sure how they were to end things. They had become accustomed to the other's presence, almost to the point of feeling uncomfortable without it. They were both soon done with their meal, finishing much faster than either had expected.

I … I'll wash the dishes," Soul stated, lifting himself slowly from his seat.

"I can help." She followed him to the sink, handing him her dishes as he insisted. She ended up just standing next to him, watching even as he dried and went about putting the last of the utensils away across the room from her. They were stuck in that silence again, neither of them knowing what to say, not wanting to make the situation more depressing than it already was. It should have been strange how close they had become within a week's time, but it wasn't, not for them. It was the separating part that was odd for them. Maka watched Soul's back as he leaned forward on the counter, possibly trying not to look at her. She couldn't tell if he was avoiding eye contact because of what would happen within the next few hours - Maka leaving to go home, possibly never to meet him again - or if it was because of something that _had_ happened.

"Hey, Soul?"

"Yeah?"

"What, uh, … what happened last night?"

"..."

"That bad, huh?"

"No… no, not, uh, not bad. You really don't remember anything?"

"Nothing. The last thing I can remember was drinking by the jacuzzi."

"What a shame." Maka's eyes widened as she still stood far from him, his front remaining out of view.

"Shame? What do you mean?" Soul smirked to himself before he sighed and turned to look at her from across the room, their gaze meeting like electricity, sparking and sending chills down her body. They sat staring, Soul bold as his ruby reds bore into her mossy orbs.

"You really want to know what happened?"

"Yes."

"You're sober now, right?" he asked, not in need of a verbal answer as he pushed himself from his perch on the counter, taking his sweet time as he slowly stepped closer and closer. She gulped as he closed in on her, cornering her until her backside met the kitchen counter. Her breath hitched in her throat as he came to calmly stand in front of her, their toes almost touching. He allowed his hands to support himself on either side of her as he leaned down, bringing himself closer to her cute, doe-eyed expression. He didn't let her gaze drift from his without a fight as his head moved to land in where ever her field of vision shifted.

"I-I, um, … as far as I know, yes." She bit her lip and he licked his own, suddenly feeling very dry. Everything she was doing was enacting the urges he had been suppressing all day, all week. He wanted to kiss her so badly, and with the gloss of saliva coating her plump, pink lips, he didn't think he could hold himself back any longer. She was sober now and could very well push him away whenever she damn well pleased … but he wouldn't feel guilty about it this time. He wanted her and, as far as he could tell, the feeling was mutual. It was a do or die kind of moment; that's exactly how he felt. He wouldn't hold back anymore, especially when she was giving him a look that was both shy and inviting at the same time, her eyes telling him to just _do it_.

"Good," he whispered, just inches from her face. He gulped and then took a slow, quiet breath as his nose gently brushed against hers. He must be out of his mind, but … he couldn't help himself. He had reached the end of his rope. "You'll remember this time."

The sensation of pressing his lips against hers and feeling her hesitation fade as she sunk into him was utter bliss. It felt so right, like he finally found his missing puzzle piece. This wasn't the first kiss the pair had shared, but it felt more genuine and _real_ while they were both sober. It was sweeter and slow and he swore up and down that she was everything good. Being a little crazy wasn't such a bad thing.

Maka gasped, chills of excitement running down her arms and back to leave her hairs standing on end, and she found herself grasping the front of his shirt as his lips pressed to hers again. Was this real life? Or was she imagining it? She couldn't fathom what it could be that he saw in her. She could feel the muscles of his biceps flex, the fact that his hands remained gripping the edge of the countertop being brought to light. She didn't have much time to think on it too long as she was slowly leaned backward, her spine bending as Soul firmly kissed her as he continued to tilt forward, intent on being on top of her. Maka's hands moved to his chest as he loomed over her small figure, lightly nibbling on her bottom lip as she panted. Their breaths intermingled as he finally released the flesh of her mouth, pressing their foreheads together. Soul closed his eyes as he attempted to steady himself; he could feel his weapon trying to come out on instinct, which was more than odd in this situation, and he couldn't figure out why.

"So," Maka began, catching Soul's immediate attention. "That's what happened?" He found himself chuckling, his nose nudging hers once more.

"Roles reversed, but you get the jest." Soul began placing light pecks from her lips, to her cheeks to her nose, to her forehead as her blush deepened.

"You mean … I kissed you? While I was drunk? Oh, god, I'm so, mmh, s-sorry," she squeaked.

"I'm not." Soul had made his way to just under her jaw to faintly suck on the skin there. His hands had yet to touch her, as they still held firm to the dark marble, but his mouth was doing fine on its own.

"S-Soul, what are - hehe - what are you doing?" She was giggling, squirming, and he couldn't decide if he preferred this shy Maka or the bold Maka better. "Ah!" … Shy Maka, hands down. He was finding immense pleasure in the way he was making her move, wiggling from side to side as he made his way down her neck with detailed pecks, licks, and nips; her hands glued to his shirt all the while, telling him that she didn't want him to stop.

"I'm making sure you remember."

"You're crazy," she breathed, tilting her head slightly to allow him better access. She mewled softly as he kissed her collarbone, her grip on his shirt tightening.

"I'm not the only one."

* * *

kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke :)

Review me, please! My author needs to be fed to have the energy to write more! :3

Much Love~!

p.s. I hope all of you students are done or are almost done with school! Keep up the good work and have a safe and smart summer break!

K.T.


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, y'all ... It's been a long while and I apologize. I had lost inspiration for this story and was having trouble coming back to it, here I am! I hope you enjoy this short chapter. I promise I will try my best to update a longer one in the near future!**

 **Not proofread what-so-freakin'-ever**

 **Get'a'readin'!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen: Sweet Dreams**

"Soooouuuul~" Sweet music was her voice, like birds chirping in the morning. He could listen to it for hours. Soul felt her small finger poke his cheek, resulting in his lips parting slightly to allow a small amount of drool to drip onto his arm. Of course, he couldn't have that but - much to his chagrin - movement was required to wipe it away. He refused to open his eyes, however; merely turning over to hopefully fall back into a deep sleep. "Soul~." Maka sat down in the space left behind Soul's bent knees, her hand gently squeezing his bicep.

"Hmm…" The firm skin-on-skin contact brought him closer back to the living world, his eyes finally slitting open to peek up at her as she hovered over him modestly.

"I made dinner~." She sang such beautiful words of truth; he could smell the scent of well-seasoned meat and steamed vegetables in the air. She was a siren and he a pirate captivated by her enchanting song and glorious cooking skills. Soul's eyes slowly blinked open to find an amused Maka sitting next to him. "Wake up sleepy head, you need to eat something."

"How long have I been out?" he grumbled, pulling himself up with the help of the back of the couch.

"I'm not sure. You've been snoozing away since I woke up, though, and that was about five or six hours ago." He was taken aback by the statement, his pools of deep maroon shifting to gaze upon her, eyelids still heavy.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Oh, believe me, I tried. I think you were just having such a good dream that you didn't want to get up," she laughed, her smile like caffeinated coffee. His eyes were still tired, though, and his body hosted that slight numbness one feels upon awakening from a deep sleep. Soul rubbed his hands up and down his legs to try and get more blood flow. Really, how long had he slept? Soul began to try and think back over the past day. It was all kind of fuzzy. The kiss that had happened in the kitchen came flashing back to his mind and he smiled, but he oddly couldn't remember what had happened after that...

"So, how did you busy yourself for the five or six hours I was dead to the world?"

"Well, I was able to check my phone. I had a few missed calls and emails from my parents to make sure that I was doing okay, some from work updating everyone on when they expect us all back. Then I played a few video games, watched a movie, took a short nap, and made food. That's pretty much it."

"Well, I apologize that you had to entertain yourself. I'm not sure why I slept so long."

"You look like you needed it … after last night."

Soul's eyes widened as his brain began to work. He began to think back … what day was it?

"What day is it?"

"Friday, why?"

… What?

"So, … last night. What all do you remember?" he asked softly, his voice still somewhat scratchy from his slumber. His nerves woke him right up, every hair on his neck standing on end because this couldn't be happening.

"I remember getting drunk, mostly I just remember giving you a hard time. Thank you for not letting me drown, by the way. Very much appreciated." It had been a joke, but Soul couldn't find it in him to let out anything more than a snort in response. How the hell could that have all been just a _dream?_ The piano playing, the sobbing embrace, the smooth kisses that had felt so real to him… was made up in his head, all of it. This was unreal … but now thinking back, his dream had begun with Maka waking up, almost as if he were there with her as she took in the fact that the winter storm had passed or when she had heard him playing the piano. It had been so surreal that he thought it would be a memory to last forever - as cheesy as that sounds - but here they were in real life, nowhere close to the level of intimacy that he wanted them to be. This was what Soul would call a rude awakening.

"There's something that I wanted to ask you about, though…" Soul - pulled from his wallowing - turned to the side to look at her, her gaze focused on something across the room to avoid eye contact.

"And what's that?"

"I, uh, kind of have this feeling that I'm missing something. I woke up with swollen eyes as though I had cried or something … and then I found you sleeping on the couch. I just, I don't know, it seemed as though something important happened that I can't remember." He gulped, the memory of the jacuzzi and elevator incidents playing in his head like he was watching it at a drive-in theater. So, _that_ had been real, at least. Now, how to go about telling her about it all. He sighed and sat back as his stare fell parallel to hers, both looking to the far side of the room at nothing in particular. He decided that the best way to go about telling her this was to just do it, to be straightforward about it and not hide or leave out anything. He readied himself by closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the words preparing to come forth being halted by a beeping coming from the kitchen. It had startled them both, averting their attention from the elephant in the room. He watched as Maka stood, making her way to the kitchen quickly to turn off the timer on his stove. He heard some clanking before deciding to follow her, the smell of the food becoming denser the closer he got. By the time he stepped into the kitchen, his mouth was watering in anticipation. She had cooked steak. She was glorious. He watched her for a moment as she went about placing the freshly oven baked bread into a cloth-covered basket. It seemed to be already cut and buttered, the crunch sounding at each grasp making Soul look forward to it that much more. He found that she had sauteed asparagus along with some mashed potatoes and what had to be homemade gravy because he sure as hell didn't have any stocked.

He went to sit at the counter where everything was set up perfectly, red wine that they had opened a few nights ago prepared alongside the clean setting. She had taken the liberty to turn on some soft music, allowing the lights to stay dim as she left the thick curtains closed to block out what little light the day had left to offer. They were almost always closed anyway, she probably didn't even know that there were huge glass windows hiding behind them.

Soul was still in a daze as he silently watched Maka prepare their plates before bringing them over and setting them down. She sat next to him, not yet noticing his stare fixed on her person. He decided to dig in before the dreaded conversation was to take place. Soul wasn't sure how she would take the news that she had kissed him multiple times in her intoxicated state. He also couldn't get his mind off of the dream that he had had. He was pissed, to say the least. But maybe … it could be more of a daydream? Soul found himself staring at her as she cut her steak. How would she react if he were to kiss her as he had in his dream? The sound of her soft moans echoed in his memory and he averted his eyes quickly, feeling the heat in the lower half of his abdomen ignite.

"So, how are your parents?" he asked, figuring that it was the best topic to simmer his yearning.

"Good," she answered between chewing. "My mom wants me to come visit soon. Not sure when I'll be able to."

"Why's that?"

"Why does she want me to visit?"

"That and why don't you think you'll be able to?" Soul takes a sip of wine, the warmth in his stomach refusing to deplete. His glance finds its way to her again, only just noticing that she had chosen to wear one of his nicer sweaters. It was deep maroon, soft and huge on her. So huge in fact that - though her hair was somewhat hiding it - her left shoulder was exposed, creamy and inviting. The sweater was long enough on her to be a dress. Soul was caught by surprise when peeking down to find that she wasn't wearing pants underneath it either, her slender legs grabbing his attention. So much for trying to cool down, his furnace has only been turned up by his wandering eyes.

"Well, I haven't been back home for a little over a year now, so she wants me to visit for the holidays, but with my schedule, I don't think it'll be possible… though, that's somewhat of an excuse."

"What do you mean?"

"I … don't really want to visit. I love my family, but my hometown is … not very welcoming."

"Mm, I understand that. I don't visit my family much either. Where is your hometown, if you don't mind me asking?"

" … Idaho."

"Good God," he snorted. "I'm sorry." Soul shook his head as he attempted to stifle his own laughter.

"Oh, shut up, Mr. Rich Kid."

"Woah, woah, I didn't choose this life."

"I'm sure you would've anyway."

"… I can't argue with that." They fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes only for the air to thicken again as they ate. He knew why: she wanted to know what had happened the night before, but he was still caught up with how his dream had been just a _dream_. It was ridiculous!

"... Hey, Soul?"

"Wanna watch a movie later? Or perhaps we could make use of the bowling alley." Soul stood, his food mostly gone as he carried his plate to the sink.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, but first-"

"I warn you, I'm pretty good at bowling. I know you beat me in gaming, but I'm determined to kick your butt this time around."

"Oh, really, now?" Good, challenging her had worked. He knew that she was competitive, so he had hoped that it would divert her attention for now. He wasn't ready to talk about the whole 'you kissed me but I pushed you away because you were drunk' thing. He knew from how much it had cleared up outside that she would be leaving soon, be it tonight or tomorrow. Something in him found this fact very upsetting ad it was affecting every bit of him. He kept telling himself that he shouldn't feel this way, they've only known each other for a week, but … he wouldn't lie about how he felt for her. It was dangerous, though. It had gotten to the point where his inner weapon was almost … possessive of her. It had never reacted to anyone like this before. There had been times where it reacted strongly in a negative way toward certain people, alerting him of a threat, but this … it had taken an extreme liking to Maka. He had, too.

"Really, really." She stood, eyes narrow as she stared at him.

"You're on." He began to laugh as she quickly cleaned up their leftovers, leaving the few dirty dishes in the sink because she was too fired up for either of them to clean them apparently. She grabbed ahold of his wrist and dragged him to the hall and up the stairs to the small bowling alley. He continued to chuckle the whole way, watching as her strides were full of purpose. That and she still adorned his dark red sweater that made her legs look more appealing with each swish of her hips. He bit his lip and forced himself to look elsewhere, clenching his fist as he shook his head. How could she be so unaware?

They entered the bowling alley, Soul going to turn on all of the lights and machines. He turned to find her stretching her arms, a serious expression on her face.

"Don't mope when I win," she stated flatly, making his mouth drop open before a bark of a laugh left his mouth.

"No! I won't let you get into my head! I'm winning this if this is the only thing that I win at against you ever!" His left arm was stretched backward, his index finger pointing at her as he goes to pick out a ball. He seemed like a child throwing a fit.

"In your dreams." She followed him to do the same, as all of the bowling balls were on the same wall. Soul began to set up one of the lanes for them to use while Maka tested out almost each and every ball, swinging each one with her arm before finally finding one that suited her fancy.

"Would you stop stalling?" Soul joked, a smirk on his face as she made her way over to him.

"I'm not going to go easy on you."

"I don't doubt it." Soul rolled his shoulders jokingly. "But how about we make things more interesting?" The suggestion was laced with mischief, but whether she ignored it or hadn't sensed it, he didn't much care because she unknowingly agreed. "Loser does anything the winner wants."

"Deal."

He tried to let her go first, but Maka was stuck on going after him, so when he scored a strike and turned to see her wide-eyed expression, he couldn't help but smirk.

"What the heck was that?" she asked, her gaze still set on the pins that were getting swept away.

"Oh, come on. I have an actual bowling alley in my home; you really think that I wouldn't be any good at it?"

"You're no good at gaming, so I just assumed." His laugh drew her eyes away from the lane as it reset itself.

"Okay, okay. Well, I rock at bowling."

"Obviously…" She had no words, there was only the slight chance that she could possibly, maybe win. It was soon revealed that she could not, no against a bowling god like Soul. The guy was getting strikes left and right. It was ridiculous! Maka soon called it quits after being utterly demolished in one round, leaving them to go sit at the small snack bar in the bowling alley.

Though they had been joking back and forth, as they had become accustomed to, the short periods of silence were filled with static that left them in a cloud of discomfort. It was happening too often for Maka to handle any further.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore," she sighed, placing her drink down and turning toward him. Her eyes pierced right through him and he almost choked on the popcorn he had been munching on. "You won't look me in the eye, and when you do you quickly look away. The topic keeps getting derailed, but I have to know … what happened last night?"

* * *

 **Don't be too mad at me...?**

 **Love you guys! Hope everything is well!**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Heyo~ Seems I've managed to squeeze some inspiration out of me for you guys. I was really having a hard time writing _anything_ , but then I went back and read through all of the wonderful reviews I've gotten from you all and it helped inspire me. So, I just want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for all of your kind words and encouragements, for giving your opinion and pointing out errors, even the simple _'great_ story' makes all the difference. I really do appreciate it and encourage all of you to leave a small review if you feel comfortable doing so. I promise you, it really does give me more inspiration than you think!**

 **Anyway! Without further ado! Chapter 14!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen: Pulling Away**

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing happened." She was staring at him blankly, her eyes blinking as if they were dry.

"Nothing?"

"You got a little tipsy and I had to help you get into bed, but other than that, not much."

"Not much and nothing are two different things."

His gaze shifted to his bottle of beer before a snort left his person. "What, do you want a play by play?"

"Soul, something must've gone down."

"Other than me having to save you from drowning as you repeatedly jumped into the pool … nothing comes to mind." They sat in silence once more, the air turning sour as Maka's cheeks began to beam bright red. Soul didn't even know why he was doing this himself, he usually would have just told her what had happened between them, but something in himself was telling him not to. He thought that perhaps it could be that he didn't want to embarrass or hurt her in any way, but it could very possibly be that he didn't have enough confidence to know how she would react. What if she scrunched her nose up in distaste and was like, ' _ew, I did that?'_ He would be devastated. He knew that he had some sort of feelings for Maka now and that his weapon was pulling him toward her as well, but … she might not have felt the same. It was just that simple.

"You're not lying to help me save face or anything, are you?"

"Nope."

"Soul, …"

"Maka, nothing happened."

"... Okay."

"Okay." It was straight up uncomfortable, the air was thick and completely unnerving. They had gotten so accustomed to being secure in each other's presence that this was extremely strange, making it even more difficult to cope with.

"So, …" Maka began after some time had passed, attempting to clear the air as best she could. She still felt as though he was keeping something from her, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to get it out of him at this point; he seemed pretty set on keeping quiet about whatever it was. "I think that I should probably leave … tonight." Awesome topic, really, a stellar choice. Maka wanted to slap herself across the face. She had even been making a plan on how to ease into this topic softly, but she decided to cannonball right into it, leaving the air regrettably intolerable once more.

"Tonight?" Soul turned to her, meeting her eyes for the first time since she had woken him up earlier that day. "So soon? What if …what if something happens while you're going back?"

"Like?"

"Like another storm comes while you're halfway there and you get stuck on a bus with a bunch of creeps or the train breaks down while you're on it or … something."

"The weather report says it should be clear skies for the next few days. I don't think that we … I mean, I don't think that _I_ have to worry about that." Maka's eyes turned to stare back down at her own bottle before taking a swig. "Besides, I have to leave sometime. I can't just stay here forever," Maka joked. He didn't laugh. She was right, she couldn't just hide away in his apartment any longer. Heck, _he_ couldn't even do that. They both had responsibilities to attend to; they were both adults, after all. There was nothing he could do to change that.

"Yeah, .. yeah, but it's the weekend, so you don't have work tomorrow or anything. Do you really have to leave _tonight_?"

"I mean, I have been here for more than a week already, and according to my emails, I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on."

"... At least let me drive you home."

"No, there's really no need."

"I insist, and you'll have dinner before you go, won't you?"

"You mean, I'll _cook_ dinner before I go, don't you?" she teased, making him smirk in response.

"That's absolutely what I meant," he joked back. "What should we make?"

"Don't try to divert my attention with food again. You're still not driving me home."

"What? Why is that such a problem?"

"It's … it's just that … it's kinda far, especially by car. It would be faster for me to just take the subway."

"What if they aren't running yet? The storm may have stopped but it's still freezing out there, Maka."

"I checked, they're up and running. I'll get home just fine. End of discussion."

"I disagree very strongly. I won't take no for an answer."

"Well, you're just going to have to." Maka got up from her seat and walked out of the bowling alley, her strides long as she made her way down the hall to the stairs.

"Maka, wait!" Soul caught up with her effortlessly, his hand encircling her upper arm to spin her around. "Why don't you want me to drive you home? It's really not that big of a deal."

"Exactly. It isn't a big deal. I simply don't want you to drive me home tonight, so please just let it go …"

"But Maka-"

"I'll let you drive me home if you tell me what happened last night." They were at a standoff now. She knew full well that he wasn't going to tell her, so … he wouldn't be able to drive her home; she made sure of it by setting such terms. Soul stared down at her intensely for a moment before sighing, his hand loosening its grip on her arm. His weapon was feeling stress coming off of her in waves, so he decided to surrender for now. He was still internally determined to take her home.

"I just want to make sure you'll get back safe."

"I will." Maka felt bad, but … Soul came from a rich, prominent family; he owned a business that he started all by himself and he was only in his twenties; his home was a mansion on the top of one of the tallest buildings in New York. She was embarrassed about her apartment, about the building she lived in, about the only part of town she could afford. She didn't want Soul to see it.

"... Okay … I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable …" He began to step back, a look of insecurity in his eyes. Maka could see it, almost feel it, and she wanted immediately to comfort him; to reassure him. She grabbed ahold of his hand and stepped close, her now free arm gently wrapping around his waist as she hugged him. Her face was buried in his chest as his hand dangled in her delicate fingers. She felt him squeeze her hand slightly before his traveled up her arm, over her shoulder, and down her back to return her embrace. They stood there in the hall for a few silent minutes, simply holding one another in preparation of their upcoming farewell as the sinking sting set in.

"I … you haven't shown me the rest of these rooms yet," Maka muttered as she loosened her arms around him. "How about we finish that tour before we make dinner?"

She felt the amused puff of hair that left his nose and the swift tensing of his abdomen, making her smile.

"Yeah," his hands rubbed up and down her back, making her melt into him. "Let's do that."

* * *

"This is just a storage room for now … not that there's much to store." Soul opened the first door, turning on the light to reveal a bare room.

"It's huge … what are you going to do with it?" Maka stepped in further, eyes scanning across empty walls. Everything was very bright in this room, the walls were a soft cream with light wooden floors. The lighting was warm and homey, but also slightly refined.

"I'm not quite sure yet. I had originally planned for it to be split up to make guest rooms, but I ended up doing that downstairs, so … I think it might become an art gallery."

"That would be magnificent. Do you collect art?"

"Some, I have a very peculiar taste, but at least I would enjoy it." Soul was now leaning back against the wall by the door, watching as Maka just stood there, content with staring at an empty room as she talked to him. It was very refreshing; women usually wanted to see his wealth, e.g. the bowling alley or luxurious swimming pool. Maka just … as much as it fascinated her, she didn't seem to really care about it all that much. It was like she saw it for what it was, appreciated it, and was just like, 'cool.' She had shown more interest in him as a person than any other bimbo his parents had attempted to set him up with ever.

"I hope I get to see them one day …"

"I'll probably just stick with making some extra guest rooms … next room?"

"Sure." She turned toward him and made her way out of the doors, waiting for him as he turned the lights off and exited the barren room to lead her to the next.

"Alright, _little missy_ ," he smirked as she jokingly rolled her eyes. "What do you believe to be behind door number …" he turned and counted all of the rooms they had already gone through, making her chuckle as he knew full well which room they were on. "Number five?"

"Number five," she assured, giving him a playful thumbs up. "I'll go wiiiith … a gym."

"Incorrect, but solid choice." He opened the door to be rewarded with her laughing.

"What is this? Is this a karaoke room?" Maka turned to him, shaking her head. "Do you even use this room?"

"Very rarely, actually. My brother and his girlfriend love it, though. It's most likely the _sole_ reason they come here to visit."

"Harty-har-har. You're hilarious."

"I thought it was punny."

"You're horrible."

"If you thought that was bad, you should hear my singing."

"No, thanks," Maka turned to him, smirking all the while. The tension had begun to dissipate as they joked, _thank God_ , and she was feeling more at ease. "Some other time maybe?"

"Maybe? Definitely going to happen now."

"How about we save it for next time? As much as I want to hear your violent screeching," she gave him a pointed look, resisting the urge to laugh as he feigned physical pain at her words. "I'm slightly more interested in what could _possibly_ be next!" Maka began to walk toward the next door without looking back.

"I kinda want to hear you sing, Miss Albarn." He leaned his shoulder against the wall near the karaoke room, his arms crossed as he watched her turn; her lips puckered in a way that showed she was attempting to hold back a smirk of her own. She may not have been able to see it, but he felt a little nervous about what hid behind the upcoming doors. He didn't really like people being in his music room, that's why he always kept it locked, but … Maka was different from the rest, as cheesy as it sounded. He normally would have felt out of place in his own home if there was some stranger staying with him, but Maka had never really felt like a stranger, not really. Nevertheless, it still put him a bit on edge to have anyone in his creative space.

"I need time to warm up," she deadpanned.

"Yeah? Are you going to sing your scales as we walk through these next few rooms?"

"Possibly," she giggled, turning back and making her way to the music room. "Or maybe I will if you do."

Soul had unconsciously begun to nibble at his top lip and his hands fidgeted with an odd anticipation that he was never very good at dealing with. His whole family, excluding his brother, disapproved of his love for jazz and his decision to start his own business instead of entering into the _family_ business.

"Soul," she called out, pulling him from his daze. "The door is locked … you're not hiding some weird Fifty Shades of Grey shit in here or anything, … are you?" The look on her face would have been enough to make him burst into a fit of laughter, but he schooled himself into an air of blasé expertly. He allowed a subtle grin with a ruggish upturn to morphe his lips, his ardent orbs focussed on her as he dragged his gaze up and down her body. She recalled this look coming from him once prior to this moment; it was the time she had decided that it was a great idea to prance around looking for clothes in just a towel. She had meant to enter his closet while he was asleep, but thought better of it, not wanting to invade his privacy. Before she could turn back to scurry off to the bathroom, however; his husky voice had her whipping around as her heart split in two, one half jumping up into her throat, the other plummeting down into her stomach. The look she was met with as his maroon stare caressed her body from top to bottom and back had ignited the pit of her stomach, making her heart race in its separated designations. Needless to say, her body was reacting the same exact way as the first time he had given her such an intense and heated look. She couldn't read him at all when he was like this.

"It's a room that brings me pleasure, if that's what you mean." _Holy shit_. "Would you like to take a look?"

"Uh, …" Her mouth was now exceedingly dry. "I … I'm suddenly very unsure."

"Oh?" he asked cooly. Soul pushed himself off of the wall and began to make his way over to her leisurely, his predatory eyes never leaving her person. "You sure?"

"Oh, my gosh, stop it," she was laughing nervously, whacking at his chest. "You're freaking me out a little."

"Don't worry," he lightly grabbed her wrist, backing toward the door as she willingly allowed herself to be pulled along. "I'm sure that you'll enjoy it, too." She began to mumble hilarious things as he inserted the key into the hole in an obscene manner. He felt the sweat around her wrist as she became very hot in his grasp. It took everything in him not to let out the laugh he had been holding back the last minute and a half right then and there. She became even more frazzled with the click of the lock as it unhatched, Soul twisting the knob and pushing the heavy door open.

"This room is soundproof … for _obvious_ reasons," he added, keeping the huge smirk on his face hidden from view as she began to resist the more he pulled her into the room.

"Soul, oh, my gosh. What is this, what's happening." She was giggling, but he could hear the concern lacing her voice as he closed the door behind them, trapping her with him in the dark room. He may have been taking this joke a bit too far as he tugged her to him, her back gently coming into contact with his chest just as he flipped on the lights to unveil to her a multitude of musical instruments. In the middle of the room stood a gorgeous grand piano, bright walls, and lighting articulating the redness of its wooden frame. The right wall was lined with bookcases clothed with music books; in the far right corner was a record player with vinyl carefully placed on dark shelve of their own. The rest of the wall space was taken up by that of an assortment of different instruments, some of which she had never seen before, lights placed perfectly to highlight them.

"Behold, my music room!" Soul stated enthusiastically from behind her before peeking around her to see her face.

"You, … " she started. "Little _jerk_!" Her hand went up to be placed over her heart as her other supported her upper body with the help of her knee. This asshat had scared the sense out of her! "Why the hell is this room locked and what the heck do you think you're doing!?" He ran, finally allowing the laugh he had been holding in to fill the room. She had enough left in her to give chase as he went around the piano.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You should've seen the look on your face: priceless!"

"You're gonna pay for that, you con artist!" Soul spun on his toes immediately after hearing that, intrigued. She was closer behind than he thought she had been, so she ran right into him with an "oof!" as his arms wrapped around her. She looked up at him with a pout on her face, glaring like it was her life's purpose to murder him and he was making it exponentially difficult.

"Con artist?" he smirked, her eyes widening to indicate that she knew where he was taking this. "You make it sound as though you were _expecting,"_ his hands tightened on her waist as his head dipped down close to hers for a moment. "Something." She gulped, face turning a beautiful shade of pink as he slowly backed her up until the back of her knees met the piano stool, where she was sat down by Soul's guidance. His smug smile forced her heart into overdrive as he winked at her, standing to walk around her and seat himself next to her on the stool.

"I led you astray because it's fun," he laughed, answering her questions from earlier. "The door is always kept locked because this room is not only the most expensive, believe it or not, but it's also very … private. My music, that is." Soul lifted the fallboard and began to absentmindedly pluck out chords that he had always been drawn to.

"But nobody else lives here other than you, right? People can't just come in … can they?"

"Not usually, but my parents certainly like to visit without any warning, and they both have a key."

"Oh, … do you not trust them around this stuff?"

"Well, … it's less about the instruments with them and more … my style of creativity that they don't quite understand."

"What do they do?"

"They own a music company, too," he laughed at her incredulous expression, continuing to play slow blues softly. "But it's all about the genre for them. My mother is an opera singer and she plays the harp, my father is a conductor for a world renown orchestra and knows how to play pretty much anything, and then there's Wes who can play all of the stringed instruments like a genius."

"And you? What do you play?"

"Well, mostly the piano, but …" Soul stopped playing, looking up at the walls surrounding them. "I've mastered every instrument in this room. Still working on it." She blinked, glancing around the room. He was smiling at her wolfishly, his eyes gleaming with a bit of well-deserved pride in his trade.

"Soul … there are at least fifty different instruments in here. You mean to tell me that you can play every single one of them; that you've _mastered_ them?"

"I suppose … at least, that's what my music teachers have told me in the past. I've been known to pick things up rather quickly." He shrugged it off like it was nothing, like all he had done was simply look at every instrument once.

"Why are you being so chill about this? That's a huge deal!"

"Yeah," he smiled, standing as he ruffled her hair. "I guess it is. It was expected of me, though, and no matter how much I can do, I'm still not the favourite - not that I want to be, I just don't want to be the least favourite. That's why I strived to be better than Wes." Maka stood up, following him to one of the bookshelves where what seemed to be old, used composition books sat. "Do you read music?"

"A little, I used to take piano lessons when I was young, but I wanted to read literature books instead. It's been awhile." She watched as his eyes scanned over the binders until he finally landed on one, reaching up and pulling it out. "Why?"

"This has one of the first pieces I ever composed. I was eleven years old," he says, a sense of nostalgia washing over his features as he opened it up, leading them back to the piano.

"You were composing at age eleven? What are you, prodigy?" He began to laugh heartily at that, sitting down with his book full of scribbled notes on the desk.

"Not according to my parents, I'm not. They hated the songs that I wrote, still do, but … this has always been one of my favourites." Maka sat next to him quietly, waiting to hear the magic she knew was to come only to be scared as Soul crashed his nimble fingers over the keys harshly. She would have never guessed an eleven-year-old boy had written something so calamitous and … complicated. As frightening as it sounded, it was a masterpiece in itself and she was awestruck. Maka found herself closing her eyes to concentrate on the sounds, the rhythm; it was all over the place, but in a way that made sense. She felt a shiver rush over her as he brought the tempo down to a crawl with melancholic notes plucked with hesitance, ending with a clatter of progression. It was sudden and left her with chills, but she really liked it; it resonated with her on a level that she didn't quite understand. When she opened her eyes, Soul was staring at her apprehensively, his hands gripping his knees with worry.

"That was," she breathed, shaking her head. "Incredible. I won't pretend to understand it because I really don't have any music theory background, but I really liked it. I would've found it impressive if you had written that at your current age, but eleven? That's just mind-blowing."

"... really? You didn't find it … disturbing?"

"Why? I mean, it scared me at first because it started so abruptly, but once I settled into it, it was full of all kinds of emotion. You're very passionate, Soul." He began to laugh again, shaking his head in disbelief. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"You are the first person to _ever_ react like this; I wasn't expecting it."

"What do you mean?"

"I wrote this song when I first realized that I was never going to be able to be seen in the same light as my brother, Wes. I felt so severely unloved and distraught at being cast aside when I wasn't meeting the expectations of my parents. In an attempt to get their attention, I began composing, something that Wes isn't the best at, and though my parents were elated to hear that I was composing works worthy of Mozart or Beethoven, it wasn't … as beautiful as theirs. I don't know, my ' _frightening_ ' sound was shrugged off as nothing more than adolescent obstinance."

"Wow, … that's just ridiculous. Your parents shunned you because they didn't like the music you made, even though they were masterpieces?"

"Well, I don't know about _masterpieces_ ," he chuckled. "But that's basically what happened."

"I am so sorry … it must have been difficult to go through." Maka didn't know what else to do or say other than that, rubbing his back tenderly as she leaned her temple against his shoulder. Her right hand found the one placed on his knee and he grabbed it, rubbing his thumb in circles in her palm.

"Thank you," he whispered. Maka couldn't tell if he was crying or not, but decided not to check, giving him a moment to settle his emotions. "Well, I don't know about you, but that's enough sentimentality for now. Next room?" She let out a breathy giggle as he squeezed her hand. She merely nodded, lifting her head off of his shoulder so that they could stand. Soul closed the fallboard before returning his old staff book to its place on the bookshelf. They turned off the lights and he locked the door before they silently walked to the next room.

"Alrighty, what does the young lady believe to be behind door number seven?"

She thought about it for a moment, thinking of only one thing that it could possibly be. "It has to be a gym … there's literally nothing else that comes to mind at this point."

"Mm, should've thought about it a little more." Soul opened the doors and turned on the lights. Maka's jaw dropped and a huge smile took over her face.

"A library?!" He hadn't thought that she would be quite _that_ excited about it. Seemed he had severely underestimated her love of books, as she had only mentioned in passing at some point, but she was overjoyed. She all but ran into the room, eyes roaming over shelves and shelves of classics of all shapes and sizes and genres. "I wasn't aware that you read." Now it was his turn for his jaw to drop.

"Wow," his laugh came out particularly exaggerated before he quickly stalked her down. She squealed as she ran from him, stepping behind a plush reclining chair as a safety precaution. "I can't believe you just said that to me." He had this huge smile on his face, his nose scrunched moderately as his hands grabbed either armrest of the chair she was snickering behind. He leaned forward, shaking his head as his face continued to host a mix between bewilderment, shock, and mischief.

"I don't appreciate the insinuation," he chuckled out, pushing the chair further into the corner as to trap her. It seemed to have been becoming a habit of his, caging her in places she couldn't escape from him.

"I didn't mean it like that, I swear!" she laughed as her back connected with the ends of two shelves. "I just wasn't expecting an entire library in your home."

"Maka," he leaned forward, coming extraordinarily close. "I have a bowling alley, a karaoke room, a movie theatre, and a giant swimming pool and you never once thought that a library was a somewhat likely option?" He was smiling with a glint of devilry swirling in his pools of wine.

"It just … never crossed my mind?" she replied innocently, shrugging her shoulders in an utterly adorable way. Soul chuckled again, his tongue sliding out over his bottom lip before his teeth bit seductively down on them. She could feel her heart begin to pound once more in a not so pure wy and she gulped. He had absolutely no idea what he did to her.

"I am no barbarian." She wished he were sometimes, maybe then he would snatch her up and do some not so gallant things to her. For a moment, Maka thought that he might do just that as his head swooped down, making her shut her eyes and head jolt down in nothing more than shock and uncertainty before she felt his teeth on her nose. Her eyes flew open to find him standing tall and proud with his signature smirk, left eyebrow raised in triumph. Both of her hands shot up to cover her nose and growing blush as her eyes remained wide.

"Did you just bite my nose?!" she squeaked.

"Perhaps?" Soul pulled the chair back to its original place nonchalantly, freeing her from her confinement.

"I thought you said you weren't a barbarian?" She was following close behind him before he turned, beaming with a giddish sort of enjoyment down at her red cheeks.

"It's not like I'm going to eat you or anything, … but I might be persuaded to do so." The implication had her red skin deepening further as he laughed. She was too stunned to know what to say at this point, so all she could do was weakly push at his arm. "Do you feel like reading or do you want to move on?" There was no way that she could focus on a book at this moment in time, not with the memory of his alluring eyes burned into her head.

"We can move on, but if I visit you in the future, I'm definitely taking advantage of this room."

"Sounds like a deal, wait, _if_? What do you mean ' _if_ ' you visit?"

"I mean, assuming I'm welcome?"

"Don't ask stupid questions. I fully expect you to visit often, groceries in hand." They exited the library and began to make their way to the last room.

"Is that all I am to you? A means for good food?"

"Don't pretend like it isn't a compliment," he chuckled. "Besides your gift in the kitchen, you make for extremely good company." She began to nibble at her lip as he winked at her, coming to stand in front of the final door of the hall that stood to the right across the hall from the stairs that led down to his apartment. "Wanna guess?"

"It literally _has_ to be a gym, unless you're going to surprise me again and have a garden or traditional Japanese tea room?"

"No," he cackled. "The garden and tea room are up on the roof in a greenhouse. A gym is correct." He opened the doors to reveal just that, a large workout room with mats placed everywhere, machines all around with a few punching bags. There was a small area to the left that seemed to be for yoga.

"Wow … you really spare no expense … what's that big closet over there?"

"That?" he pointed, not really in need of an answer. "That stores the boxing ring and equipment." She looks up at him, her face a mix of awe and annoyance. "What?"

"You could seriously rent these rooms out or own your own hotel," she shook her head.

"Oh, did I not tell you? I own this apartment complex." Her mouth hit the ground.

"Are you kidding me?" She was flabbergasted. All he could do was nod somewhat shamefully. "There are literally no words," she said, laughing as she made her way around the room to glance over different weight lifting machines.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled out. "It was a good investment."

"... Do you really have a greenhouse on your roof?"

"Um … maayyybeeee?" It wasn't convincing in the slightest; he definitely did.

"Oh, my gosh," Maka giggled, blinking excessively as they made their way back to the door. They left the gym, shutting the door and heading back downstairs to make dinner. "Why did you feel the need to get so much?" He sighed, allowing Maka to go first once more. They walked down the long hall and turned left into the living room, passing the dining room and making their way to the kitchen.

"I actually have a rather large family. Most of it was made to keep them entertained for when they decide to visit, usually unannounced. That's why I'll most likely turn the empty room into more guest bedrooms; two isn't enough for all of them." She nodded as he explained the in and outs of his complicated family tree. They went about preparing the food, deciding that steaks, potatoes, and salad were perfect for their last night. Somewhere along the way, Soul had decidedly turned on some music to dance to, pulling her along to twirl and spin her about. They finished cooking like that, in an upbeat mood as they twisted to songs like Twist and Shout by The Beatles and Low Rider by War. As soon as the food was put onto plates, Soul turned down the music and changed it to something more suitable to play in the background as he greedily cut a slice of steak.

"Mmmmph," Soul muffled out after having stuck the first slab of perfectly cooked meat into his watering mouth. "Pho fwickin' good."

"Oh, my gosh, chew your food," she laughed, pretending to wipe spit from her face as he began to dig into their meal more aggressively. They ate in silence for a moment, both enjoying their food but also … not sure what to say. They couldn't just ignore the fact that she was planning to leave soon after they were done, but Maka certainly didn't want to rush anything, but thanks to the silence, they had eaten their food much too quickly for her liking, leaving their plates bare.

"Wine?" Soul was standing up, taking their dirty dishes to the sink.

"I probably shouldn't."

"Why? You aren't driving." Fare. She did want it, so … one glass wouldn't hurt.

"Well, just a glass." He filled two wine glasses up with some fancy ass merlot that he had gotten as a gift, bringing the bottle over along with him. He slid her the glass before sitting down solemnly, leaving them to both sip at their drinks quietly.

"You know," Soul began, shifting uncomfortably as she turned to look at him.

"Hmm?" She was feeling a little warm, being the lightweight that she was, but she had decided to allow herself more than the amount that Soul had given her, pouring herself another half of a glass.

"Even though I was the one that kinda saved your life." She laughed, brilliantly, as she always did. "I feel as though I have been extremely lucky to have been the one to save you. I … have really enjoyed these past two weeks with you. I hope we can do it again soon."

"Thank you," she hummed in her tipsy state, swaying slightly as she smiled. "I feel the same way, and yes, we most certainly should do this again, excluding the whole almost dying thing."

"Yeah, or you know, I could show up in some alley near your apartment and you could save my life," he joked, scooting himself closer to her in case she decided to fall out of the stool at any point in the near future.

"I'm not so sure that I would be able to carry you into my apartment."

"I don't know, you're stronger than you look," he gestured to the shoulder she has taken a liking to unleash her wrath upon. "Pretty sure I'm bruised for at least half a year. Rude way to handle your savior." She slugged him for good measure. They fall into a short silence once more before Maka checks the time on the stove top.

"It's already eight," she mumbled, the air shifting again. "I should probably get going."

"Sure you don't want to stay one more night?" Maka's stare shifted toward him; he was sitting in his stool, leaning back against the counter with his third glass of wine in his hand. He looked unfazed, but she could see the internal battle playing out inside his head. What the battle was over, she wasn't sure, but it was happening. Maybe he was thinking of maybe … making a move? Maka shook her head. No, that was absurd.

"I really should be getting home," she sighed, rubbing her hands up and down her face. "As much as I want to stay tonight, I know it'll probably just be harder to go tomorrow."

"Yeah … yeah. And you're dead set on taking the subway?" All she could do was nod, knowing that her voice would waver, giving him a reason to try and persuade her. "... okay, let's … let's make sure we have all of your stuff, I guess." They got up, making their way around the apartment to find all of her didn't take that long, seeing as she hadn't had a lot on her when she came, but it was still almost surprising how little there was to collect.

"Well, I think that's everything." She takes in a heavy breath, keeping the tears from surfacing.

"Looks like it," he sighed. "I'll be right back."

She stood there with all of her things, wearing all of her own clothing that just felt … odd on her now. Maka had become accustomed to Soul's comfortable clothing engulfing her body and she had gotten greedy for it. She was slowly walking through the apartment as she waited for Soul to finish dressing appropriately for the weather. He had given up on driving her home as long she allowed him to walk her to the subway, which she had agreed upon in an attempt to spend as much time with him as she could before … the possibility of never seeing him again.

"You ready?"

"Yeah," She turned as he stepped out of his room, adorning winter boots, a large wool coat, gloves, and a scarf. "No hat?"

"Not for now." Soul took out a warm looking beanie from his coat pocket, sliding it on her head. "Let's go." Soul led her through the dining room and down the hall to the elevator, silently recalling the last time they were confined in it. It took them down to the lobby, where the doormen greeted him politely as he nodded. They exited the building altogether, turning left to walk stiffly down the sidewalk side by side as the cold brought them closer to one another. It was only a three block trek from his building to the subway, something he had originally been grateful for, but now it had only brought their time together to an end much quicker than he would have wanted. They stood there in front of the station, people bustling about to get to their designations.

"Well," she began. "I hope to see you again soon."

"You know where to find me."

"Thank you for everything." It was awkward, saying goodbye, and though they had been a bit overly familiar with each other in his apartment, the real world was making it difficult for him to embrace her as he so wanted to.

"Same to you," he smiled, his hand coming up to pat her head. "Stay safe out there and no more collapsing in alleys during a snowstorm."

"Promise," she laughed, fidgetting slightly, her gaze falling from his momentarily before returning with a look of determination. "Goodbye, Soul." She was smiling as she turned and made her way down the stairs, giving one last wave before she all but disappeared from his sight, and all Soul could do was watch her go.

"Goodbye, Maka."

* * *

 **;)**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry it took so long *sobs emotionally***

 **Enjoy! *continues to sob***

 **(I'm a horrible person)**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen: The Days Without You**

Soul stood there for quite some time; still, as others scurried off to hide from the cold. He couldn't feel it, though, which probably wasn't a good sign. He wiggled his fingers, finding them numb, and decided that it was time for him to head back to his apartment. As much as he had hoped for it, he knew that she wasn't going to come back after having been gone twenty-five minutes. Slightly melancholy, he forced himself to turn and make his way home. There were more people out than he had thought there would be, most of whom were out to stock up their homes with food and toiletries and the like. He should probably do the same, but … perhaps tomorrow.

The doormen welcomed him back with a "Master Evans," as they held the doors for him. He nodded his thanks and continued on, shivering slightly, sure that the top of his ears and probably his nose were red. He more than likely should have worn a hat. He smirked to himself at the thought as he stepped onto his private elevator; he had successfully sent her away with all of her own belongings … and something of his own, giving her a good reason to come bring it - and herself - back to him. She had apparently forgotten about the beanie he had placed on her head, that or she knew what it signified and willingly took it along with her.

Coming to his apartment level, he punched in the code that allowed him to enter his suite. He walked somewhat grimly down the hall and through his quiet, empty space. He never thought he would feel this way, but … he missed the life that she brought to his massive home. Was it even a home to him? As Soul sat, slumped at the kitchen counter with a glass of red in his hand, he fully came to the realization of just how much he wanted her. He wanted her back. Not an hour after having let her go, he was feeling oddly incomplete and felt a strong urge to get her back to him or go after her. And with that came another, much heavier revelation, which left his eyes wide and full of dread.

* * *

There was the usual angry banter coming from the newlyweds down the hall; dogs barking loudly through thin doors, as Maka quickly strode to her crappy apartment. She was already missing the safety that came not just from Soul's high class, highly secured palace above the main streets of New York, but of his strong arms and warm hold around her. The subway had been packed and wreaked to high heaven, as many of the homeless inhabitants of the area had hidden themselves away from the storm in the unmoving trains. Everyone had been using the better weather to get to their destinations and to apparently stock up on the necessities due to word that there could possibly be another snow storm on the way. She had decided that that was probably a good idea and stopped at the corner store for anything she might need and even planned to make herself a backup bag to bring into work in the event that she got stuck at the office.

Struggling with her dozen grocery bags, Maka reached up and unlocked her door. She was barely able to twist the knob as she shuffled inside, using her elbow to hit the lights. Her eyes scanned the room and she sighed as she closed and locked the door behind her. That stupid cat. Why she had ever brought the pest with her to New York was beyond her; she was more of a hassle than anything. Maka gritted her teeth and began to carefully step over trash and cat food scattered about old wooden floors and over her grandmother's ancient, scratchy carpet. There was a hairball or two, but if there was one blessing to be grateful for, it'd be that Blair hadn't done her business outside of the litter box. She sighed again - at least there was that.

Finally, Maka made it to her kitchen and set the heavy plastic bags on her counter. There was only one built-in light in the kitchen and it was a yucky dim yellow light over the stove that buzzed obnoxiously and unnecessarily loud for how small it was. She always kept it off in fear that it might explode. Maka went and turned on the lamp she had gotten for the room and went about putting things away as best she could around the mess Blair had made. After all of the groceries had been sorted and properly placed, she went about cleaning, thankful that she had shut the doors to her bedroom before she had left the last time she had been home. Blair had no way of making a disaster of her room. Most of the mess was easily swept up and thrown away, though that also, unfortunately, included glass from picture frames and a new vase she had really liked.

It took her a little over an hour, but she was finally done, the last task having been cleaning out the cat box. As Maka sat scooping what seemed like a never-ending amount of poop out of the stinky sand, she attempted for the umpteenth time to push Soul from her mind. She was lovesick, no doubt about it - she couldn't fool herself out of acknowledging it this time because, _this time_ , it was real. She had never felt such intense feelings of adoration for someone before and it kind of scared her a bit. She usually had control over her mind and emotions, but when it came to Soul, she had rushed into it and allowed herself to be swept up in it - whatever 'it' was. That's probably what scared her the most; the fact that she didn't really know these feelings or how to deal with them, they were so complicated. But that still, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about him and the look in his maroon eyes, or his sharp pearly whites that shown with his guttural laugh, or the feel of his large hands rubbing circles on her back.

She shivered at the remembrance, standing abruptly with the bag of cat poo to throw out. She missed him … maybe more than she cared to admit, maybe she … maybe she should call him. Yeah, or text him at least. She could do that. After having properly disposed of Blair's digested food, she washed her hands and went to grab her phone. Waking it up, she went to her contacts and scrolled. She went up and down several times, not finding the number that she was looking for. Finally, it hit her. Oh, Lord have mercy. How had they neglected to exchange phone numbers? After everything that had happened; after the whole two weeks of them being together - _alone,_ mind you - getting to know each other and possibly falling for one another, she couldn't believe that they hadn't at least done that much … she was at a loss for words.

Maka paced her kitchen needlessly in slight upset. It wasn't as if she couldn't go back and get it at any given moment; she knew where he lived, had permission to return as his guest as she wished, but … she knew herself, and she wouldn't be as bold as to visit him without previous engagement. She rolled her eyes at herself, how ridiculous it was. She felt Blair at her legs and sighed as a meow came longingly. Maka turned and looked down at her wide-eyed monster of a pet.

"I'm an idiot."

 _Meoooww_.

"Right."

* * *

He was a complete idiot; an absolute simpleton. What kind of man meets the woman of his dreams and forgets to get her number? Was he serious? _Really?_

"Ugh," came forth as he plummeted down onto his mattress, throwing his hands over his face with the hope that it would somehow block out reality; reality was _shit_ and he hated everything. After having stood there by the subway entrance in the freezing cold weather for twenty-five minutes and begrudgingly made his way back to the confines of his warm, huge, … empty apartment, he had thrown on some jazz music to distract himself from how boring and horrifyingly quiet it was now, which was a laugh because he used to love it quiet and now … who knew what was wrong with him. Oh, wait. He knew: he had met the most enchanting woman on the planet and _didn't ask for her fucking number_. Retard.

The worst part is? He has it … or, he can get ahold of it - quite easily, at that - but he won't. Why? Because he also forgot to mention to her that he may or may not have been - but most definitely was - her _fucking boss_. God, he was such an asshole. He wanted to go back in time and punch himself in the balls, but taking into account that he apparently didn't have any, it probably wouldn't have been of any help anyway. He was curled up into a little stress ball, his body wrapped around a pillow. Why must life be so damn difficult? It hadn't been this hard when Maka was here, but now real life was entering back in - very unkindly - to destroy all of the comforts she had built for him. Long story short: he feels like a worthless worm of a man and just wants to ignore his duties as the founder of his company. So, he will … until Monday.

* * *

Soul was struggling; he had struggled through the first week back at work, knowing that Maka was a mere seven floors below him. He had every opportunity to take the elevator to her floor and introduce himself as her employer, or even call her to his office, or possibly the easiest - and surely creepiest - of them all, he could have called her cell at any given moment. Her resume had been a ghost on his screen, slightly haunting him throughout his days. He now stared intensely at the 10 digits he had all but memorized, his title as CEO of the company making it exponentially easy to obtain. Needless to say, he was all but conflicted, and the longer he waited, the more difficult it would be.

It was now the second week that they hadn't been in contact - Tuesday, almost lunchtime - and he was attempting to ignore the incessant ringing of his office phone. Finally, he was pulled from his daze with a firm knock on the door.

"Yes?" he shouted, voice obviously annoyed. His secretary entered, shutting the door behind her.

"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, I know how busy you are, but I recommend that you answer the phone. It's an emergency from Japan and they've been on hold for at least ten minutes."

"Oh, uh, yes. I apologize, I was caught up with other business. I'll take them now. Thank you, Azusa." She merely nodded and left his office, shutting the door quietly before he sighed back into his chair, mentally preparing himself for what he supposed would be a headache of a phone call. He sat up and answered the phone promptly, only to pull it away slightly at the loud voice penetrating his receiver. "Shazai shimasu," he began, continuing with a brief explanation that he had been dealing with … other pressing matters. He was then made aware of a disastrous meeting with his employees and was needed for the new deal immediately.

"Azusa!" he yelled after having hung up the phone. He was putting on his coat when the door opened again. "Get me a plane ticket to Tokyo for tonight, please. I need to go sooth our clients over on account of Hiro fucking it up for us. _Again_."

"Shall I also have the pleasure of reminding you to fire him upon your return, Mr. Evans?" They stared at each other for a long moment before a smirk twitched its way onto Soul's face.

"Possibly. Depends on how horrible the situation is and how he's dealing with it when I get there." He chuckled at her disapproving grimace. "In the meantime, I must go pack a few things. Call me when you've secured my flight."

"First class?"

"If possible, thank you. Oh, and Azusa?" He turned as they exited his office, locking the door behind them.

"Yes, sir?"

"You're in charge." He heard her brief giggle as he hastily made his way to the elevator.

"Obviously, sir." He chuckled at her reply as the doors closed. Leaning back against the cold metal, he sighed. He loved his work, he really did, but … Hiro was such a bother.

* * *

Maka typed away as phones rang and employees chatted - gossiped rather - to avoid their responsibilities. It had been the two longest weeks of her life, having to walk by Soul's apartment building every day on her way to work. She couldn't summon the confidence to enter and bring him back his beanie, no matter how often she thought about it, and she thought about it all. the. time. She carried it in her purse every day, but never got the nerve to try and give it back because … what if that ended everything? What if, when she returned his borrowed beanie, he simply thanked her and sent her on her way, never to meet again. Then again, not doing anything about it also left her stranded; no progress was being made toward their possible relationship or even just a friendship. Maka was trying desperately to focus on the task at hand, but the view out of her office window was that of the street she had collapsed in; the street Soul had saved her in.

She sighed, pushing her chair back as she stood with her mug. She needed some coffee and a better distraction. Work usually did the trick, she always enjoyed it, but … she couldn't halt the onslaught of memories of him occupying her mind - it was both refreshingly romantic and annoying. This was all new for her. Sure, she had had a few crushes, a couple boyfriends that didn't last long, but this was completely different. Soul was different. They had some kind of connection that she couldn't explain, and even though he had made her feel uneasy at times, it was in a way that she craved. The feel of his warm hand on her back and waist, his fingers rubbing circles lightly into her back, his ruggedly handsome smirk as he traveled up and down her body with those molten stares of his. It all continuously appeared in her brain, making her shiver. He was everything she had ever dreamed of and more. He was gallant, a true gentleman, kind, carrying, genuine. He was a dork, nerdy in his own way, awkward at times, intelligent, handsome, fun. She smiled as she remembered all he had done for her. She couldn't erase him, she didn't want to, but … she was worried about her confidence in pursuing him, knowing full well that the ball was in her court. She was the one that had to make the move; he didn't know anything about her other than where she worked, and E.C. wouldn't let just anyone come in to visit. She would need to push aside her anxiousness and just do it. They had lived together for two weeks, after all; they weren't exactly strangers. Whatever the outcome, it couldn't be worse than it was now.

"Miss Albarn." Maka, shocked from her intense self-intervention, tensed as she looked up from her seat in the break room to find a well-known employee standing over her. Justin Lawson, the company's COO, but … why was he here?

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm surprised to see you here." What? What could that mean? This was her department and … to be frank, she had never really spoken to Mr. Lawson before this very moment, so … "You rarely take breaks outside of lunchtime. Are you stressed? Is your workload too high?"

"Oh! Not at all. I apologize, I'll get right back to work."

"That's not what I meant," he chuckled as his hand gently settled on her shoulder. She moved away slightly as he sat down next to her, loosening his tie. "It's just out of character is all. I wanted to check on you."

"Uh, … I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess." Mr. Lawson was an odd character, he did his job well, but … he always walked around with earphones in his ears, music blasting from them. He was able to carry on conversations regardless, but it was still an interesting and slightly annoying quirk. He just gave her an unsettling feeling.

"I know we aren't much acquainted, but your work here is exceptional and it doesn't go unnoticed, Miss Albarn. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."

"N-no, sir. Thank you."

"I'm glad. If you're feeling up to it, we could use your assistance this evening. Mr. Evans has been forced to handle the contract with JP Music himself, so he flew to Japan last night. Everything is a mess, to put it simply, and we'll need some extra hands so that the negotiations go smoothly."

"Of course, sir. I'd be honoured."

"Wonderful, we appreciate your willingness. Enjoy yourself, but not for too long, hm?"

"Yes, Mr. Lawson." Maka watched as he stood and went to leave the room, nodding her way with a sweet smile as he left. The hard rock blasting from his earphones finally being canceled out by the closing of the door, Maka sighed and relaxed back into her seat for a moment. A white-haired man with stunning ruby reds appeared in her head and she shook herself, standing abruptly to make her way back to her desk.

* * *

Indeed, Hiro was a bother, the biggest of bothers. Fuck it, Hiro was an ignoramus and Soul wanted to _hurt_ him, and not that physical bullshit either. Oh, no. He wanted to hurt him emotionally; he wanted to break him apart inside, though … a good punch might make him feel slightly better. Soul couldn't remember why he had hired him in the first place, let alone for such a high position. He had fucked up the deal so bad that even Soul was a bit unsure as to where he should begin. All the details were so unclear that he had to postpone the meeting until the evening so that he could figure out what the hell was going on. This deal was a huge opportunity for his company, so he had to make it work.

"Asuza, I need every capable employee to help me sort this out. I'm sending over the files along with the needed revisions now. I'm sorry … I hate to ask you for overtime, but even I can't finish this alone within the next 6 hours."

"No need to apologize, sir. This isn't your fault, rather it's because of _someone else's_ recklessness. I have a handful of the best workers ready to assist you."

"Thank you," he sighed. "I really appreciate it. You all will be well compensated. I'll talk to you soon." Soul hung up immediately, as he knew that her response would be something along the lines of ' _no need for compensation_ ,' which he was having none of. The fourteen hour time difference was gonna be a killer; it was already 9 at night in New York and he felt bad that his team was being forced to work so much overtime just because he had sent an incompetent employee to do such an important job.

Soul gritted his teeth and sighed once more, cracking his neck from side to side as he straightened to begin his work. He hadn't been focused enough to do his work seriously as of late, Maka always occupying the forefront of his mind. He wanted to see her as soon as possible, but he needed to get this deal done with first. He made himself a promise right at that moment: after he got back from Japan, contract signed and all, he would confess everything to Maka and - assuming she would forgive him for keeping the truth from her and waiting all of this time to tell her - they could possibly begin a real relationship … or something. God, even now as he was typing away, scrolling through the pages of the massive contract deal, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He had it bad.

* * *

It seemed to be one thing after another these days. Soul and his team had managed to fix the contract in time for the meeting, and he easily was able to seal the deal, getting the contract signed without man changes. Now, however, it seemed someone had messed up a very important order back in New York, so - with the overly self-confident twat, Hiro, in hand - Soul was taking a flight right back home. Oh, how he missed the days of ice-cold solitude and the gem-like eyes of a fair-skinned, honey blonde-haired beauty as she kicked his ass at Mario Kart. His position as founder and CEO of Eater Corp. had been beginning to take its toll on him the past few weeks back at the office. He began to wonder how many of his employees were good-for-nothings like the Hiro. He glanced over and groaned at the idiot as he slept soundly, not a care in the world. Shaking his head, Soul turned back to his laptop, typing awake and proofreading important documents. Sadly, it seemed that Hiro would be losing his job soon, but it couldn't be helped; the man had no awareness of how his actions projected a negative light on the company at which he worked. Soul didn't need people like that.

The flight would last for another eight and a half hours, but he could at least get some work done. His brain was so wired that he couldn't fall asleep, anyway, the thought of Maka shredding any remainder of his lethargy. A small smile spread his thin lips as he recalled the look on her face when he bit her nose in the library their last day together; the redness of her cheeks as her hands came up to cover her abused appendage. His teeth grazed his bottom lip as he held back the chuckle that threatened to spill from his mouth. He was still typing as he shook his head, her bright eyes full of shock a constant image in his mind. He was never going to be able to get her out of his head.

Luckily, the flight landed safely through the oncoming snow storm. Soul was quickly rushed to the office to handle the matter at hand, unable to grab ahold of Hiro before he managed to scurry home. Oh, well, he would just have to fire him another day. Upon arriving, Soul found that he was easily able to fix the problem by himself, so he urgently sent everyone home who had stayed behind to assist. The weather was getting bad again and he didn't want anyone else to be stuck at the office or out in the snow if he could help it. A few hours flew by and the storm was raging outside; it was possibly worse than the last one. It was times like these that he was grateful he had installed a bathroom and kitchen in his spacious office. though he wasn't sure if there was anything he could cook, he could always make his way down to the ground floor where the company's convenience store was, but … it was about forty floors down. That being said, Soul would make do with the fruit Azusa bought for him and the microwave oatmeal that had been up in the cupboard for about a year. He had never needed it until now. He also came across some cheez-its that were unopened, so hallelujah!

He went and pulled out his sofa-bed - another smart decision on his part - and dressed it with the blankets and pillows he kept for such an occasion, knowing full well that he wouldn't have the energy to do it later. After setting everything up and getting some food in his belly, he made himself some coffee and went back to work, focusing on the problem at hand. Some moron had ordered too many parts to make one of their products again… sometimes he thought they did this shit on purpose.

Soul sat drinking coffee and attempting to ignore an oncoming headache as the night began to drag. He leaned back away from his computer, pushing his chair further from the desk. The only light he had on was a dim golden lamp upon his desk. Taking off his glasses, he turned to look out the window where he couldn't see past the wall of snow taking over the city. It was strange; all the years he had lived in New York, this was the worst winter he had ever seen, and it was beginning to get to him. Something didn't seem quite right, his weapon was reacting to it as if the storms were being created by something or … someone, but whatever it was, it definitely wasn't your average storm. He felt unsettled by it, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end with static. He glared out the window for a while, attempting to find something in the flakes that fell in a hurry from the sky, as if they were running away from something. Something was coming, he could feel it.

* * *

 **I am so sorry that it has taken me this long, guys. I've been so busy with work that I sometimes don't even remember what day it is ... :( I work a lot of weekends. BUT! Here is my apology.**

 **Love you! I hope that everyone is doing well! I sincerely appreciate all of your encouragement and support. It means so much to me. I will try to update more often for you guys, even if I can only squeeze in small chapters.**

 **Much Love~!**

 **K.T.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the delay Inspiration hit so I legit wrote this last night and proofread it a few times throughout today. I hope you like it!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen: An Office Affair**

He had run out of coffee in his office, and though he wouldn't usually wander down to the lower levels, everyone would surely be home by 3 o'clock in the morning, as he had sent them off as soon as he could because of the incoming blizzard. Soul had stayed behind to finish up some paperwork but ended up falling asleep on his couch. He was thankful that he had brought his bag with him straight from the airport, as the weather outside seemed to indicate that he was stuck here for the time being. He sighed as he decided to take the stairs; the lights had been flickering on and off and he didn't trust the elevators. He knew that there wasn't much in the break rooms for a few levels down; most of the employees on the top floors didn't take too many breaks and their coffee was probably gone, seeing as that was all they ever drank. He continued down about six or seven floors until he finally decided he had gone far enough, only noticing that he had inadvertently chosen the floor that Maka was stationed on after he exited the stairwell. He walked down the dimly lit hallway to the break room where he found her picture hanging over the words 'employee of the month'. He smirked; of course, she was.

He entered the break room to find the lights on and he stopped in his tracks. His eyes were wide as he met the mossy orbs of the subject of his affection. She stood there with a steaming mug in her hands as she stared back at him. She squinted her eyes and shook her head, blinking profusely as if she were trying to wake herself up. He should have taken the chance to step back out of the room and make a run for it. He would have never thought that she would be here at such an hour … perhaps she had made the same mistake as he had after deciding to work late.

One of her hands lifted from the mug and rubbed the bridge of her nose as not to smudge her makeup. She opened her eyes once more, not being able to believe who was in front of her. She hadn't seen him in almost a month, regrettably because of her own nervousness at returning to his apartment on her own accord - not that there was any other way she could visit him after dumbly parting ways without any contact information at all. So, she was elated to see him after all of this time, but … why was he here?

"Soul …" she breathed.

"Maka." Soul smiled back at her, his anxiousness lifting slightly as she set the mug down and stepped forward with her arms outstretched for a hug. He pulled her in greedily, his arms holding her firmly as he picked her up and spun them around a few times. In that moment, his worry lifted off of his shoulders, the thought of how she would react to him being her boss lost in the adorable giddiness of her laughter as it graced his ears.

"Soul," she giggled. "What are you doing here? How did you even get into the building? You're not secretly a business burglar or something, are you?"

"No," he laughed, his hands ruffling her hair. He had really been hoping that she wasn't going to ask the inevitable question so quickly, but he knew better. He cringed slightly, knowing full well that she wasn't going to be happy when she found out that he was her boss, especially because he had known since the very first day they had met and never told her about it. He could admit that he was mildly terrified of how she might retaliate ...

"Then how? I never thought that I would see you _here_. You don't … you don't work here, do you?"

"I, uh, I kinda … do, yeah." Soul cleared his throat as a concerned look overtook her features.

"... nothing happened to your company, right?"

"Uhh, nnnope. It's," he gulped. "Doing very well." He knew she was going to figure it out any minute now and that, when she did, he would need to duck for cover.

"Then why did you get a jo ...b … no way." There it was. " _This_ is your company? Are you fucking kidding me?" Hm … he had never heard her cuss before. Not a good sign. "You own the company that I work at? Eater Corporation belongs to you?" Yeah, she was mad. Her glare felt like fire against his skin, burning him with shame as her face became an agitated red. He could almost see the smoke fuming from her ears.

"Soul!" She yelled, scaring him out of his guilt laced stupor. "Answer me!"

"Yeah, I mean, yes."

"Yes?"

"Shit … I'm so sorry I never told you, Maka … I just-"

"Save it. I can't believe this …" She wasn't looking at him, her hurt gaze avoiding his at all costs. She grabbed her mug and sidestepped him to the door, the memory of his laughter that first night when she had told him that she worked at Eater Corp. She had found it so odd at the time, but now it was all making sense, except for the whole him not telling her that he was her fucking _boss_. The fact that she hadn't figured it out until now on her own was almost laughable; looking back, she saw so many signs pointing to this conclusion and yet … how mortifying.

"Maka, wait. Please, let me explain."

"Shut up," _Woah_. "You don't get to say anything right now. Leave me alone."

"Maka, I didn't do it to keep the truth from you. I kept the truth from you because I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable around me while you were there."

"Oh, is that so? Then why didn't you bother to say anything when I left to go home? I think I would have understood why you hadn't told me then, but now? We've been working in the same building and it's been almost a _month_! You've probably had countless opportunities to have told me, but instead, I find out by what I assume to be an accident." He nearly stumbled by the statement. She was right; he had been so worried over how mad she might have been having been told that he kept the truth from her while she had been staying with him, but after that … there was no good reason to have kept himself at bay. The only factor that he had neglected to account for in all of his overthinking was that she had been yearning to see him just as much as he had her - he hadn't taken _those_ particular feelings into consideration and he felt like a fool for it.

Soul quietly followed Maka back toward her desk, hands in his pockets, brows scrunched together as he ground his teeth together. He was upset at himself, but … a little less when it suddenly dawned on him that she could have very well stopped by his apartment at any moment if she had really wanted to be reunited with him. The fact that she hadn't and was now blaming everything solely on him for the past few weeks to have gone by without them seeing each other seemed like she was holding a double standard. Although he had messed up and done her wrong, he wasn't totally to blame for their lack of communication. He didn't want to go playing the blame game and risk worsening their current circumstances, so he didn't want to mention it … but the thought got him thinking: why exactly hadn't she stopped by or even so much as left a note? She was currently pissed beyond belief because he hadn't contacted her sooner, but she had the means to do that as well.

"Stop following me. I don't want to talk to you right now." She sat down at her desk as she said it, her face turned away from him. It was a nice, tidy space; the entrance to her cubicle facing toward the window. He heard her rummaging through something as he leaned lightly against the cubicle wall, her small desk light the only thing that brightened up the place. She soon stood with an armful of clothing and toiletries before shoving her way past him without a word. Sighing heavily, he went to follow her only to find that she had halted and was now glaring at him with full force. "I told you to stop following me, didn't I?"

"You did."

"So? Why are you still here?"

"Because I didn't agree to stop following you." He could almost see her anger take over as her chest began to rise and fall faster, her nose twitching, nostrils flaring, and her eyes pouring malice. He chanced a step forward only to have her turn from him. Her feet didn't move, but she refused to look at him any longer. "Maka, I would like to talk about this … Please. I can't just … I won't just walk away."

" … I need some time to calm down. I have to cool off before we have this discussion, so just … wait. Please." She began to walk away again and Soul almost made an attempt to follow her once more, but it was probably best to give her the space she needed, even if only for a short time. He watched her leave the room before pulling out the chair from the neighboring cubicle to sit in front of the window. He stared hard at the wall of snow blanketing the city. ' _What a way to reunite_ ,' he shook his head, spinning in his chair slowly as he awaited her return.

* * *

A half an hour could feel like years when put into a certain situation, and Soul had found himself in one. His head hung back as he stared up at the ceiling, counting the tiles as he pushed himself from window to cubicle at a crawl. He sighed and closed his eyes, reaching up to rub the subtle headache beginning to form. For all his worry, he felt like a complete idiot. He should have told her about all of this on that last day together - perhaps that would have made it less sullen. Sighing once more, he jumped when the sound of her footsteps neared, having him sit up straight as she approached. Her face was now bare and she had changed into a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a matching hoodie, both hanging off of her in a way that reminded him of the times she wore his clothing. He smiled and he stood, now looking down at her. His smile vanished as quick as it had come, however; the subtle hints of her tears showing themselves clearly to him, as he had seen it before. Her eyes were barely bloodshot, her nose red. She wouldn't return his gaze, less out of anger and more out of fear that he would figure her out, though he already had the moment he saw her face. It was all he could do to hesitantly take a step forward, reaching out as he watched for permission to hold her. She didn't back away nor did she move to embrace him, so he lightly touched her elbow in an attempt to console her.

"Don't," she said through a sigh. She didn't pull away or push him back, which urged him to take another step closer.

"Maka … I'm sorry." Her eyes closed, a single tear gliding down her cheek as she let out a shaky breath. A hand came out in a fist to hit at his chest with no real vigor, pulling back only to plant a soft pat against him again.

"I just don't understand … why didn't you just _tell_ me? Did you hope not to ever see me again?"

" _ **No**_ ," he all but seethed, grabbing both of her elbows and pulling her to him with a jolt, Maka dropping her belongings to scatter about their feet in the process. "You have no idea how much I wanted to see you again, but … I'm your boss; I have to think about how it might look."

"Fuck how it looks, you knew exactly where I was this entire time!"

"You knew where to find me, too, Maka!" She stared back at him, eyes wide at the statement. He was right, she most certainly did. She couldn't say anything to rebuff or deny; they both knew it. "You know where I live! I invited you back! I waited and you never came! How was I supposed to take that?" She attempted to free herself from his hold, but he refused to release her.

"Stop …"

"I have the means to get in contact with you, that's true, but as the CEO of a company, I would be abusing my power to look into your file for such a thing. I couldn't very well just walk in here and be all, 'What's up, Maka! Remember me from that time I saved your life and we spent an amazing few weeks together _alone_ in my apartment? Well, surprise; I'm actually your boss!'"

"Then why didn't you tell me that last day together?! Why continue the facade?!"

"Because I forgot, okay?! Stupid me saw you leaving and I didn't want you to go! All I could think about was _you_. I just - I … " His heart was racing a thousand miles a minute and he didn't know what to do. He had never felt like this before, not once in his entire existence.

As they stood there, chests heaving, breath mingling, Soul felt love. He loved Maka, a woman he barely knew but had been drawn to from day one. She was ice and fire and everything in between and she made him feel so many new things. He acted a fool when he was with her, but felt like the strongest man alive when that smile of hers lit up her face. It was odd; he used to curse love, believing he had known it well, but _this_ and _that_ were polar opposites - they couldn't even compare.

"You what?" came her quiet inquire, as they had stood unmoved for quite some time, Soul unrelenting grasp still around her elbows. He convinced his body to finally let her go as he stepped back, a small fear blooming in his abdomen. He turned and sat back down in the chair, turning to stare back out the window to soak in his revelation. "Soul?"

"I'm sorry. I need a minute to think." She stood for a moment before bending down to pick up her things and disappearing into her cubicle, exiting with her chair to sit alongside him. Their focus was directed out at the storm as they sat in silence, time slipping away from them. Finally, he turned to her, expression serious as he grabbed hold of her armrests to turn her to face him.

"I apologize; it wasn't right of me to spit that in your face. I had gone back and forth on whether or not to contact you, but … my insecurities got the better of me. That's not an excuse, I just-"

"Soul," she stopped him, squeezing his hand lightly to grab his attention. "I'm sorry, too. You were right, I could very well have stopped by your apartment at any time. I was also absorbed in my own insecurities and couldn't bring myself to just do it. I also shouldn't have tried to put the blame on you, it was childish and uncalled for. I … I'm just happy to see you again." A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he pulled her closer, leaning forward to hug her.

"Me, too." They sat in a comfortable embrace, Soul rubbing her back as he did often when she had been stuck with him. It soothed her further, making her relax into him, her forehead resting against the nape of his neck as her small hands gripped the cloth of his shirt.

After a few moments had passed, Soul finally managed to tear himself away from her, with much difficulty on his part.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" she asked, startling him slightly; he hadn't expected that.

"... That sounds good, actually." She went to stand and he followed; she moved awkwardly around him, a small smile twitching into place as his eyes unabashedly stared as he moved to pursue her. Ever so slowly, they made their way back to the breakroom where Maka opened the cupboard and pulled out two mugs and hot cocoa mix. Soul could still see the tension in her back, her movements restricted and somewhat hesitant. Even after they had made up, he knew that there were things on both of their minds that needed to be addressed, but the overwhelming urge to keep the peace had them silent.

"So …" she began, catching his immediate attention - not that she hadn't had it already. "Why are you here so late?"

"Shipment mess up, a rather large one at that. You?"

"Accounting issue, most likely over the same problem. We were charged three times what we had ordered."

"Sounds about right. I was made aware before my flight home this morning that someone 'accidentally' added a few extra zeros to the order number."

"So it seems …"

… Soul hated small talk, it implied that they were trying too hard to cut through the silence. Even as strangers in his apartment, he had been able to chase her about in a silly game of tag. Was the sudden unease simply because they were in the workplace? Or worse, because she now knew what he had dreaded: that he was her boss?

"Is it because I'm your boss?" The words slipped from his lips before he could even give it a second thought, meeting her surprise with his own.

"W-what?" Ah, what the fuck. He had already asked the question, right? Why not take the leap and just have the stinkin' conversation; it was bound to happen soon anyway, whether they liked it or not.

"Is this … stiffness because I'm your boss? Is it because I kept the truth from you?"

"... I'm not sure what you mean, Soul."

"We're awkward. Don't pretend you don't feel it." She stared at him for a moment before dropping her gaze to think it over.

"I suppose … I'm just kind of taken aback by everything. I'm so happy to see you again; I've missed you, but … I'm not sure how to act, I suppose. It's true that you being my boss does change things, quite dramatically from my standpoint. I don't want to be viewed as …" Her eyes widened before she whipped back around to put the mugs of water into the microwave, beeping in the time and starting it.

"Viewed as what? How would others view you because of this?" He wasn't comprehending, he needed more from her.

"It's nothing. It's only based off of my own assumptions …"

" … What assumptions?"

"Nevermind."

They had just had a fight, had just made up from said fight, and Soul had a feeling that they would have another one if this were to keep up. He stepped closer, his fingers tracing lightly down the side of her arm. She almost melted into his touch - _almost_ \- until the microwave signaled the completion of their heated water. Maka quickly took them out and stirred in the cocoa mix. She was avoiding the topic, not because she didn't like him, but for some other reason.

"Maka-" She grabbed both of the mugs and retreated toward the door, seemingly set in not having this conversation with him. This was too much stress for Soul to ignore, however; he finally got her back, they had made up and everything should be better now, but she was being distant. He followed her quietly, observantly, as she set the mugs down on the floor next to the office chairs. Disappearing into her cubicle for a brief moment only to reemerge with a fluffy blanket. Even in the dim lighting, he could see the slight stain of red on her cheeks as she sat down in her chair, spread her blanket over herself, and picked up her mug. Soul went to sit, taking the offered mug from her as he did. They both sat sipping hot chocolate, staring out at the snow blanketing the city once more. He wasn't sure where to go from here, the tension was only rising and he didn't know what she was thinking.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked finally, a sigh of relief leaving his lips at the sound of her voice.

"Of course." He turned to her, his steaming mug coming down to rest on a knee. Without meeting his gaze, she took a deep breath and let it out.

"What _really_ happened that night I got drunk?"

Well … he hadn't anticipated that. Maka could be so daring when she wanted to be. His eyes blinked, expression blank before he coughed awkwardly. She obviously hadn't believed him when he had said that nothing had happened, which of course had been a lie … he wasn't exactly proud of it.

"Uh, …" clearing his throat, he began to shift uncomfortably.

"Oh, come one …"

"What?"

"I know you're keeping something from me. Just spit it out!"

"Alright!" His hands went up as he jumped from her slight outburst, cocoa almost spilling on him. "You kissed me, okay?" … Shit. Soul's head turned toward her, face contorted like he had made a huge mistake. There was a reason he had kept that from her, too; he didn't want to embarrass her in fear that she would draw back. Not something you want a potential romantic interest to do, but … she was already beginning to do just that the moment she had found out his identity, especially in relation to her own. He found her with eyes wide, brows lifted as she all but stared at him.

"Oh …" Wait … what? Was that it? That's all she was going to say?

"' _Oh_ '?" He couldn't help the feeling of slight irritation that welled up inside of him in reaction to her response. All of that worry and strife on his part about how this would affect her and all she said was 'oh'? … Huh. She remained silent, apparently deciding to go back to staring out the large office windows at a big, white storm over continuing the conversation that _she_ wanted to have. "Really? That's all you've got? ' _ **Oh**_ ' _?_ You've gotta be kidding." He huffed mildly, turning his chair in flabbergast as he looked away from her.

"What do you want me to say?" He swiveled back around to took a closer look in his state of disbelief and was rewarded with the view of her blushing cheeks as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Ah, that was much better. He smirked as he went to tuck her hair behind her ear. She jerked, turning her face further from his sight.

"Are you upset?" He stood to step around her seat, popping into her vision only for her to gasp and twist in the opposite direction.

"No…"

"Then what's wrong? Why won't you look at me now?" He shouldn't be teasing her, he _really_ shouldn't, considering the fact that her embarrassment was one of the main reasons for not telling her in the first place, but ... she was just so adorable. Soul moved to make the same attempt to see her face. She stood this time, her hands covering herself from his view as she tried to move around him. It was poor planning on her part, as she had trapped herself between the two chairs that they had been sitting in, the window behind her, and he wasn't going to let her pass. He put his hands on either side of Maka, thoroughly confining her. "Are you sure you're not upset?"

"I'm not. Just let me through."

"Don't wanna."

"Soul …"

"I would like to finish _this_ conversation, so …" A sigh escaped her, held behind her hands as she hid herself, her head sagging in slight defeat. Soul reached up to tug at a wrist to get a glimpse of her burning flesh. "Maka, … I didn't want you to be upset, so I didn't say anything, but now that you know, I think we should talk about it."

"I'm sorry … I'm honestly not upset, at least, not with you. I'm just … really embarrassed …"

"Why? You don't even remember, right?"

"..."

"Right?"

"I thought it was a dream," came her muddled reply.

"So, … you do remember? All of it?"

"Yeah…" Soul felt his cheeks begin to warm up as he let go of her wrist. It was really too bad; Soul couldn't find it in him to be as cool as he had dreamt the day she had left. There were no words coming to his mind. "I'm sorry," she sputtered, her bright red face partially showing itself. "I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have forced myself on you like that … when you obviously didn't want it."

"No, Maka … that's not why I pushed you away." Soul found his hands holding her forearms tenderly, his thumbs rubbing comforting circles.

"Then … why?" She had this look of extreme defeat and confusion, her eyes tearing up slightly.

"Because I didn't want you to regret it. Believe me, I wanted to kiss you back, I just want you to be completely conscious of it when it happens." _When_ it happens. They sat in silence once more as Maka thought it over. She unconsciously began to shift back and forth, nibbling at her thumbnail all the while. Soul was just watching her, a small smile forming over his lips.

"So, …" she began suddenly. "You did want to kiss me?"

"Yes." His reply came without hesitation, without waver.

"Do you … now? I-I mean, do you still … was it just then or, like, was it just in the moment? Would you … want to now or anytime in the future, like-"

"You're cute when you ramble," he chuckled, making her blush deepen. His hands left her arms, both landing on the cool, thick glass behind her as his body slowly hunched over her. "I wanted to kiss you before then; I wanted to kiss you at the time; I want to kiss you now."

"Now? Like, _right_ now?" He nodded in reply, his eyes never leaving hers. Neither of them moved as Maka felt her heart begin to race; the thought that Soul actually wanted her in that way was something she hadn't predicted, always having crushed the hope that she had. After all, why would such a handsome, intelligent, successful, authentic and genuine man want _her_? She could picture it, sure, but she couldn't convince herself that it was a viable outcome.

Her breath hitched as she was brought back from her thoughts, those eyes of his igniting something else in her entirely. Her head was leaning back against the window, his height making her have to tilt back considerably just to maintain eye contact. She wasn't sure why she was, though; his stare made her nervous, it made her heart pound - ridiculously so.

" _Right. Now._ " Her view was soon parallel to the walls as Soul leaned forward, his forehead making contact with the glass as he smirked down at her. She watched as he seemed to slowly get closer, his neck craning downward in what seemed like an uncomfortable manner until his forehead tenderly connected with hers, a chill sweeping through her as his skin had absorbed the cold from the glass.

"Really?" she whispered, her hands absentmindedly grasping the material around his abdomen, wrinkling his dress shirt.

"Very much so …" Soul decidedly teased her, using his nose to nudge against hers; his breath to race along her pale, freckled skin; his icy fingertips to trace along the nape of her neck as he slid her hair behind her shoulder. She was magic, the kind you only ever dream about. For such an enchanting creature to truly exist and to be here, _right_ here, in front of him, was like a gift.

Maka sighed, her head falling slightly to the left as she shivered in response to his cold caress. Before he knew it, Maka had lifted herself up on her toes, leaving a chaste kiss upon his lips. His slight surprise shown on his face as she went back down. He couldn't hold back the smile that overtook his face as he stood to his full height once more, his head swirling in a sort of manly, though, gidish manner. He licked his lips before looking back down at her, his teeth toying with his bottom lip. His eyes seemed to almost glow, like sparks were attempting to ignite behind those pools of wine. She felt his hand encircle her wrist before he turned, tugging her gently so she would follow him. He grabbed her overnight bag off of her desk and guided her to the stairwell only to turn and lift her over his shoulder.

"S-Soul! I mean, M-Mister Evans, what are you- where are we going? No, I mean, urgh! Put me down!"

"The elevators aren't safe, so we have to take the stairs."

"That doesn't mean you need to carry my like thi-" Maka gasped when she felt his hand cradle her upper thigh tightly as he began to make his way up.

"It's about eight more flights to my floor, so sit tight and don't struggle. It'll be faster this way." Soul began taking two steps at a time, all the while making sure not to swing her around too much so that she wouldn't be too uncomfortable. Maka didn't let out a single word as he seemed to all but run up the stairs, her focus on that of his hand's position too strong to think about anything else. He probably didn't even realize what he was doing to her, as per usual … he never did. Maka could feel the pit of her stomach begin to heat up as his hand slid a little higher, his grip a little tighter. She subconsciously squeezed her thighs together in an attempt to keep her lust under control. He was always able to set her ablaze.

They reached his floor much faster than she thought, just as Soul had said they would. He took a large, controlled breath before continuing toward his office. He hadn't even broken a sweat in his haste, proof to Maka that he was in shape - well … that and she could feel the muscles in his back and broad shoulders. She was no stranger to getting lost in him or the things that he did, but it had been a while since she had had the pleasure and security that came with his hold.

He swung open the door and stepped into his office, turning and locking the door behind them because _better safe than sorry_. If Maka had been there without his knowledge, who knew who else could have been in the building. He set her down carefully, his eyes never leaving hers once they met again, even as he bent to place her bag gently on the floor. They all but stared at one another for a long moment, Soul's right hand coming up to brush lightly across her cheek.

"So, …" he began, a brilliant smile enhancing the glow of her face as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. It was all he could do to marvel at her as she beamed up at him. How had he become so lucky?

"So."

* * *

 **Working on that next chapter for you guys now!**

 **I made a twitter account under the same name if anyone would like to go follow me. Trying to decide if I should make a tumblr account? What are your thoughts?**

 **Also! Huge news! I'll be going to South Korea for three months in September! I will probably start a blog. I will keep you all updated on the progress of it and when I have it up and running.**

 **Please don't forget to leave me a review with your thoughts on this chapter! Tear it apart, guys, just don't be too mean lol.**

 **Feels good to be back :) Missed you guys**

 **Much Love~! K.T.**


End file.
